"It has been a long time, Charlotte. I see time has not been kind to you."


    Clark Hearst''s appearance further increased the pressure inside the Academy. But unlike with Charlotte''s entrance, almost all of the students had no idea who he was. The only ones that had a drastic change in their expressions were Elton, the Headmaster, and Charlotte herself.


    As for the students, their whispers continued to drown the entire Academy. The others, however, stared at Van. His whole body was now wrapped in what they could only assume was blood. Fully immersed inside, as if a cocoon beating its heart.


    And slowly, this cocoon crawled its way towards the old man that just arrived.


    "Clark!"


    But before the cocoon of blood containing Van could even reach halfway to him, Charlotte lifted it up from the ground, hugging it with a single arm.


    "What are you doing, Charlotte? Are you this brazen already that you are no longer respecting your elders?"