Hmm, it's definitely not that kind of fetish. It must be that the positive feedback from exercising is just too clear...

At this moment, those boys also walked up to Edward Harris, occasionally glancing at the panting Edward Harris, trying hard to hold back their laughter, but not actively looking to pick a fight or mock him.

Their target was Lillian Cooper.

Among the three, the one with light blond permed hair was named Henry Reed. He called out cheerfully, "Hey! You over there, elementary schooler! Time to wrap it up! The morning assembly is about to start, don't be late."

Calling someone by a nickname to their face—this pretty much counts as blatant "school bullying."

Lillian Cooper, who had just swung her bamboo sword, froze for a moment when she heard this. Turning her head and seeing the three of them, she immediately stopped like a startled fawn, lowered her head with a bit of a dodging gaze, silently put away her bamboo sword, and hurried over with her little legs in a fluster.

This girl really is so submissive...

If this were a movie or novel, Edward Harris would probably transform into the "Justice Follower" from the "Handbook of Evil," shouting, "Let go... no, let that girl go and come at me instead."

But reality isn't a story on the screen. Even if Edward Harris wanted to meddle, with Lillian Cooper acting like this, she might even thank them.

Sure enough, Lillian Cooper came running over with her bamboo sword, gave a slight bow, and timidly said to the three, "Thank you, I'm really sorry... I forgot the morning assembly was moved up today..."

See...

Edward Harris shook his head. Last night after class, he went to work as a part-time disciplinary committee member on the street, so he also didn't know about the morning assembly being moved up.

Henry Reed snorted, glanced at Edward Harris, and asked with a fake smile, "So it's Higashino, huh? By the way, were you... running just now?"

The two who came along with him exchanged glances, waggling their eyebrows, and also turned their grinning gazes toward Edward Harris.

You know, the conditions for ability users to level up are pretty harsh. Kids from wealthy families use drugs and equipment, but the downside is a lack of real combat experience. Then there are those who improve through sparring or actual combat—less efficient, but with a solid foundation.

Of course, the fastest to improve are always those chosen ones with top-tier ability sequence numbers and freakish talent.

......

Edward Harris had some impression of the "delinquent trio" from his class.

This "blondie" Henry Reed talking to him supposedly had an uncle on the school board, and was known for being flamboyant and arrogant. Ironically, he failed this year's academic proficiency test.

But he seemed convinced he'd soar to greatness sooner or later. After being held back a year, he often mocked other repeaters in the class, probably thinking everyone around him was just "weeds," and that he, a tiger fallen to the weeds class, couldn't help but feel sorry for himself.

Edward Harris didn't answer right away. He waited until his breathing calmed down, then smiled and nodded, "Yeah... I was running."

"Ohhh—! I see......"

Henry Reed deliberately dragged out his words.

Pfft—!

The slightly chubby boy behind him, named Ethan Parker, couldn't hold back his laughter.

"Sorry, sorry, I actually have a pretty high bar for laughing, but I just... couldn't help it... hahaha."

Henry Reed turned around with a grin and scolded:

"Hey, hey, hey! Be serious, you idiot! After all, this is Higashino's own way of training. Anyone with a dream is amazing... pfft, hahaha... sorry, I couldn't hold it in either."

As soon as he finished, the other tall, skinny boy also burst out laughing. The three of them exchanged winks, looking at Edward Harris as if he were some kind of clown...

Sandwiched in the middle, Lillian Cooper seemed a bit uneasy, her small hands nervously twisting the hem of her kendo uniform. She turned her head slightly and glanced apologetically at Edward Harris—as if she felt it was her fault that the "quiet guy" in the back row of the class was being mocked by the delinquents.

Edward Harris understood her apology, and couldn't help but sigh in his heart. What a kind girl... He got mocked for his looks and build every day, yet she still had the heart to worry about others.

......

"Is it that funny?"

Edward Harris looked up and said to Henry Reed.

The laughter stopped abruptly.

Henry Reed was momentarily stunned, his expression darkening as he squinted at Edward Harris.

He hadn't expected one of the "weeds" in the repeater class to not give him face—especially since the other guy was a country bumpkin from Hokkaido, rumored to have failed the academic proficiency test two years in a row, and if he failed again tomorrow, he'd be expelled.

Other than that face, he was good for nothing.

Damn it!

Just thinking about it was infuriating!

But at a superpower academy like Takehara South, the school rules were extremely strict, and private punishment was dealt with very harshly.

Since you can't use your fists,

If you get angry and lose your cool, you lose.

Henry Reed's face quickly returned to that fake smile, his eyes narrowing as he stared at Edward Harris's annoyingly handsome face.

The slightly chubby sidekick behind him, Ethan Parker, looked at Edward Harris mockingly and said, "If I remember right, Higashino, this is your third year, isn't it? If you still can't pass the assessment this year... hmm, I hear the herring in Hokkaido is pretty good. Since we're classmates... maybe you'll give us a discount when we buy from you in the future?"