'This quest really knows exactly what I'm planning to do to him,' I thought.

And as soon as his eyes met mine, pure hatred flickered there before he quickly forced it behind a neutral expression. Then, he approached.

"Adam," he said. "I need to talk to you. Alone."

I nodded slowly, already guessing what kind of drama was coming.

"Alright. Then follow me."

Alex's expression tightened at my response, but there was nothing he could do.

We walked down the academy's main corridor in an awkward silence. Students passing by gave us curious looks. It was a bizarre sight to see Alex walking behind Adam Socheron like some lackey. Alex lowered his head, probably hoping no one would recognize him.

I led him to the back area of the training building, a quiet spot usually only used for dumping broken equipment or by students who wanted to avoid crowds. When we arrived, the only things there were a soft breeze and silence.

I leaned against the cold stone wall, folding my arms. Waiting.

Alex stood in front of me, his face shifting between anger, fear, and deep reluctance. A few seconds passed in a tension so thick it was almost audible. Then, he extended his hand.

"For what?" I asked, deliberately making him explain.

He swallowed hard, his jaw tightening. "I… apologize. For everything I've done to you."

I didn't take his hand. I simply brushed it aside lightly, belittling him.

"Apologize?" I asked, my tone flat. "I don't see even a hint of sincerity on your face, Alex. This feels like… coercion."

At that moment, Alex's mask cracked. His expression darkened, his eyes narrowing with pure resentment. In his heart, he was cursing me endlessly. 'Of course this is forced, you bastard! If not for my father and the Star Witch's threat, I'd rather die than apologize to trash like you!'

I gave him a thin, cold smile. "You think I don't know you were forced to apologize like this because your family was threatened by my mother?"

I stepped a little closer, taking advantage of the fear radiating from his body. "But what can you do, Alex? What can you do except obey? I could call my mother right now, and your family's guild would be ruined before lunchtime."

The threat landed perfectly. Alex's face suddenly went pale, as if all the blood had been drained from him.

[Your Dominance over Alex Increases to 3%.]

What?

I frowned at the unexpected notification. Using [Eye of Desire], I had seen a Dominance stat there. So I could dominate men as well, but if it reached 100%... would that turn them into my sex slaves?

The very thought made my skin crawl and my stomach churn. I'd kill him on the spot if he showed any inclination like that. I had absolutely no intention of dominating him that way.

For now, let's just ignore notifications like that.

He swallowed again, along with whatever scraps of pride he still had left. His body bowed slightly, an unnatural posture filled with shame.

"I… truly apologize, Adam. Really. Please… forgive me."

I simply stared at him, and that alone made him even more uncomfortable.

Seeing my lack of response, Alex grew more desperate.

"I… I wasn't even the one who bullied you the most!" he blurted out, his voice rising without him realizing it. "I just… went along with it! Everyone did it! The worst one was Yukie! And the most frequent one was Maximus! I… I only did it occasionally!"

He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. "I promise, from today on, I'll never do it again. I won't go near you, I won't bother you. Please… forgive me."

I watched him for a moment. Then, coldly, I said, "You're right. Out of the five of you, you were the one who bullied me the least. Just a follower. That's why my revenge on you will be the lightest."

A flicker of hope appeared in Alex's eyes but died immediately when I continued.

"But light doesn't mean nonexistent. The only thing I want from you is an apology. A sincere one, not… whatever this is."

Alex looked confused.

"You're going to apologize to me. In front of everyone. In the main courtyard," I said slowly, making sure each word stuck in his mind.

"You'll spread the word. You'll gather the students, especially Yukie, Maximus, and the others. They have to be there and watch. You have the ability to do that, don't you?"

Alex went deathly pale. "I–In front of everyone?!"

"Yes. In front of everyone. You all bullied and humiliated me in front of people, so it only makes sense that you apologize in front of people too, right? That would prove you're truly sincere."

"You have half an hour. If the time comes and I don't see you on the field with enough people, or if your apology isn't convincing enough…" I paused, letting the threat hang. "…then I'll call my mother, and we both know what happens next."

Alex froze, his body trembling. In his wide eyes, I could read the violent clash inside him: burning shame, fear of destruction, and above all—rage at being forced by someone he had always considered a loser.

But as I expected, fear won. With the expression of a man being marched to his execution, Alex nodded slowly, barely visible.

I turned away, leaving him alone in that quiet place.

The show was about to begin.

.

.

.

Half an hour later, fifteen minutes before all classes began, the vast training field of Nine Stars Academy was packed with curious students. Whispers echoed in the air like a rustling wind…

"Is it true? Alex Rutherford's gonna apologize to Socheron?"

"I heard Isabel's friend was rushing around spreading the word."

"No way… after that humiliating defeat, now he's apologizing?"

"Let's go watch…"

I stood in the center of the field, surrounded by a sea of curious faces. From the corner of my eye, I saw Yukie and her group standing at the edge of the field—Maximus wearing a mocking smile, Isabel and Nerissa looking conflicted, and Yukie herself watching with a cold, unreadable gaze.

Alex finally appeared, his face as pale as a walking corpse. He walked toward the center with heavy steps. Once he stood before me, he let out a long breath.

"Adam," he said hoarsely, forcing the words out. "I… I came here to admit my wrongdoing. For all the… bullying, insults, and harassment I did to you all this time."

He paused, swallowed hard. The crowd was completely silent, transfixed.

"I… sincerely apologize. Truly. And I promise… I'll never do it again. I won't go near you, I won't bother you. Please… accept my apology."

Inside, Alex was screaming: 'This is the end of everything. My reputation. My status. All gone. Look at them… staring at me like trash. And Yukie… look at her. That look of contempt. I'll never lift my head again in this academy.'

The atmosphere shifted immediately. The whispers turned into a storm of disbelief.

Alex's expression grew worse as he saw his friends' reactions. Yukie—the girl he'd always admired—was now looking at him with eyes colder than ice. Maximus, who used to train with him, now wore an openly disgusted expression. Isabel and Nerissa just scoffed, shaking their heads mockingly.

Even I was a bit surprised. I thought he'd try something sneaky—gather people under a false excuse, then suddenly ambush me or force me to accept his apology under pressure. But no. He actually did it. Yeah, I guess he's smart enough to realize how powerless he is right now.

But I wasn't satisfied yet.

"After everything you did," I said loudly enough for everyone to hear, "an apology alone isn't enough, is it?"

Alex panicked instantly. His eyes widened. "H–Haven't you humiliated me enough? And I already apologized sincerely!"

"Are you really sincere?" I asked, staring straight at him.

"That's enough!" Alex snapped, his emotions finally exploding. His fists clenched. "I did everything you told me to do! I stood here, in front of everyone who knows me, humiliating myself for you! What else do you want?!"

Inside, his anger raged: 'Damn you, Adam! If you didn't always look like a weak, pathetic loser, none of this would've happened. This is your fault! Why am I the one paying for it?!'

I snorted. "See? You're not sorry at all."

Alex glared warily at me, filled with hatred. "What… what do you want now?"

"Kneel," I ordered, simple and clear.

Alex's breath hitched. The crowd's murmurs grew louder.

"You… you're not serious," he whispered, voice trembling.

"I'm very serious. Kneel. In front of everyone. And repeat your apology."

For a few seconds, Alex looked like he might rebel. The muscles in his arms tightened, his teeth grinding. But then his eyes met mine, and maybe he saw the absolute firmness there. He glanced at the crowd, at Yukie's cold, merciless gaze, and whatever resistance he had crumbled.

Slowly, Alex Rutherford—guild master's son, popular student—fell to his knees on the cold grass.

"I'm sorry," he said again.

But I still wasn't done.

"I'm not satisfied," I murmured softly.

Alex raised his head, eyes full of fear and confusion. "Wh–What else?"

I smiled, a thin, warmthless smile. "You're not sorry at all, are you? If your apology just now was truly sincere… if you really don't want your father's guild destroyed… then going a little further shouldn't be a problem, should it?"

Alex swallowed hard.

"Strip."

All color drained from Alex's face. "W–What?!"

"Strip in front of everyone here," I said clearly, without hesitation. "And apologize once more. Then, I might consider forgiving you."

The field fell silent for a moment, then exploded into a storm of shocked chaos.

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