Chapter 36: Well Played
Irene didn't tell us what happened yesterday but Lavalee told us that Irene can handle it.
I'm lucky enough because I'm not the successor to the Lim Mafia, unlike Lavalee and Irene.
The pressure and the weight of the crown are damn heavy, as we can see from the two.
The Collins, Jess' family and my cousin, Neith's, maternal family are working under L Mafia so Jess doesn't have to worry either.
I think our parents don't even give a damn about it either and I think they'd give it to one of us if any of is willing that is.
We're currently in class and the lessons being discussed are already taught to us back in the States but Lavalee doesn't allow us to get accelerated because according to her, we still need to study.
I think she just wants to fulfill their promise to their parents which I admire the most.
If I was the one who lost my parents in my first year of being a teenager, I don't think I can cope with it the way Lavalee did.
She managed to get herself together within a month, she stood strong alongside Frost for their little sisters and brothers not to mention the weight of the Empire and crowns they have to keep and protect.
It was damn unbelievable, so no wonder the Palace punishment didn't bother Lavalee.
She's been through the heaviest torment and she conquered and lived with it. The Palace punishments are mere child's play to her now.
Physical pain no longer matters to her.
"Class are you aware of the upcoming Foundation Week of our school? It's in two weeks so I'm counting on all of you to work on your section's booth." Our homeroom adviser said
"Sir!" they all contradicted
Wait, if my calculation's correct, Frostwood Academy would be celebrating its foundation day a week from now so only a week interval between the two Academies then.
Lavalee surely has a lot on her plate right now. I wonder if she needs help.
"The owner would be there too, don't you want to meet the person behind this institution?" he taunted and that took the attention of the students.
Wait. What?
Lavalee's going to reveal herself?
'Of course not.'
A hologram appeared before me and I saw that it came from Lavalee's direction.
I guess she knew what I was thinking.
I typed 'What are you planning?' on my desk and swiped it back to her
'What do you think?' she replied
'What are you guys talking about?'
A hologram from Jess appeared in front of me so I guessed that she manipulated it to arrive at me
'The announcement.' I replied to Jess and dissolved the holograms in front of me.
Luckily, the professor doesn't seem to notice that we're communicating via holograms.
Hologram conversations are really handy when it comes to this.
A hologram suddenly appeared in front of me and it came from somewhere else.
FROST?!
'Keep an eye on Flamelinne. Don't tell her I contacted you, Chelsea.'
My heart suddenly pounded when I read it.
Frost wants me to keep an eye on Lavalee, he knew that I knew that Lavalee is undergoing the Palace punishments.
I thought Lavalee's no longer undergoing the Palace's punishment. She's back and freely moving.
Wait.
Lavalee was never bothered and even before she undergo the Palace's punishment, Lavalee's carefree and lay back.
It only meant one thing; she managed to keep it from us, she fooled us.
Dammit.
"Ms. Kan, what are the advantages of a matrix organization?" our professor asked Lavalee.
I didn't notice that our accounting professor had already entered the room.
"Resources can be used efficiently since experts and equipment can be shared across projects. Information flows both across and up through the organization. Employees are in contact with many people, which helps with sharing of information and can speed the decision process." She answered in a bored manner like it's nothing
"Good. Now, who do you want to answer the next question?" The professor said
"Blare," She said and smirked
Lavalee surely knows how to distract us. She's teasing and playing with us like nothing's bothering her, that's why we never suspected.
Well played, Lav. You played us well.
I won't tell Irene and Jess because the lesser people know, the safer Lavalee would be.
We're gambling right now and Lavalee's life is at stake.
No one can dethrone an Ayazaki-Hanazono off her throne but they can torture and give them a slow painful death through punishments. That's why Frost contacted me, it makes sense.
I'm the brain and hacker of the group, I can protect and monitor Lavalee without anyone knowing and tracing, just like what Frost is doing.
"Ms. Jang, what are the disadvantages?" he asked Irene
"The overlapping. The overlaps can lead to turf battles and difficulty in determining accountability." She replied
We stood up and went to our next class which is economics when the bell rang.
As we walked the halls the students are still turning their heads on us, probably because of the things that happened during the Callous exam.
There were kunai, shuriken, and daggers flying in our direction but Jess and Irene intercepted and returned them.
This is not new to us, Irene and Jess are always the ones to protect and shield us, that makes all our tactics work.
They underestimate Lavalee and me being the ones behind Irene and Jess, little did they know Jess and Irene are actually protecting them from Lavalee's manipulation.
A manipulation that would never let them have peace, a manipulation that would take away their sanity.
We witnessed how deadly Lavalee's manipulation game is, so as much as possible, I would be the one to play, I pity those who choose to play with Lavalee.
When we entered our class, we're the first ones to arrive. We sat down beside each other because the class looks like a small auditorium.
The chairs are arranged in a circle and the only entrance is from the door in front. The classroom was soon filled, I think there are about 50 students currently, including the eight of us.
"Good Morning, class." Our Economics professor, Mrs. Conchia, beamed at us when she entered
"Everyone knows that economics is a dismal science," she said and flashed the slideshow on the big black screen.
All the classrooms are like this; airconditioned, the walls are made of concrete, soundproofed to avoid distraction from the outside, and there are black curtains to dim the room and for us to see the presentations clearly.
"Isn't economics nicknamed the 'dismal science' because it is all about running out of resources and the inevitable decline of life as we know it? Who coined the phrase 'the dismal science'?" she continued
"Now, since I discussed this already last time, I want you all to pull out your yellow pad and get ready for a 60-item quiz." She said and pulled the rope
The curtains were pulled aside and the lights were turned on. This would be a quiz then. This should be easy.
"I will give you one and a half-hour to answer." She said and started distributing the test sheets.
The rule about our tests is that we can't flip the test paper until our professor says begin.
That helps keep the fairness because if we flip the papers before the test begins we can already analyze them and this would be a disadvantage for those who receive the paper last.
"Begin." We flipped the test paper and I began reading the test.
Enumeration and Identification test.
Now I know why Lavalee didn't agree on getting us accelerated. The test on our current level is already hard what more if we did get accelerated?
We'd just get deaccelerated and that would be so shameful. I thought the test would be a piece of cake for me but I was wrong.
I massaged my temple the moment I skimmed the test. These are tests made for the final exam not for quizzes, dammit. I did my best to answer the tests, it's a great help that the questionnaire is connected which makes it a little bit easier but still.
The first set was about the show that the professor asked us to watch and take note of.
After the timer on the professor's hand rang she raised her hand and we exchanged paper with the one on our back. There are six rows here but on the sides, there are only four because of the size of the classroom.
I have Ethan's paper and he has mine. The guys are seated behind us and I'm sure Lavalee's going to ace this damn quiz. She handled a business meeting all by herself at the age of 16 so no doubt that she'd ace this test.
As the teacher dictates the correct answer the tension in the classroom goes up. I never imagined that a test like this could pressure me like studying codes and deciphering them. This is not basic to me anymore.
I must've overestimated myself, it's embarrassing I know. I'm very ashamed of myself because I asked Lavalee if we could accelerate back then. Jess and Irene agreed and I'm pretty sure they're regretting it now.
It's just the first week of the second semester, our semestral break was the Callous Exam. That's unfair, right? This is just a recall exam and I don't know what our finals would be like in case.
"Now, count the number of correct and I'd call you alphabetically. Don't return it to the owners just yet." Ms. Conchia said and the buzzing sound began.
After a few minutes, she opened her log book and began calling our last names.
"Delta, Ethan." She called Ethan
"20," I said
33.3% isn't low anymore after hearing the scores
"Domingo, Frederick."
"13."
21.7%
After more surnames and numbers she called Elijah's.
"Luar, Elijah."
"19," Irene said
31.7% then
"Sandoval, Caspian."
"19," Jess said
Same percentage as Elijah's.
"Santiago, Jace."
"25." Lavalee said
41.7%, that's the highest score percentage from the guys.
Wow.
Just wow.
I glanced at Jace, that was unexpected since he's not really supposed to study and studying isn't his priority right now.
He aced it, I can tell that he didn't review or anything but dang 25 is no joke.
"Go Tal Ya." She called my name
"26." I heard Ethan said
43.3% on the test?
That would be my lowest in the record.
"Han Ji Ra." She called Jess
"25," Caspian said
41.7% then, damn none of would make it past 50%.
"Jang Blare." It's Irene's turn this time
"24." I heard Elijah said
"Kan Vale Ri." The professor called Lavalee and we all looked at her
"36."
She aced it.
That was not easy.
It's more than 50%, it was 60%.
"The one with the highest score is Valerie Kan! Let's give her a round of applause." Ms. Conchia announced and we all clapped our hands.
Our classmates looked at Lavalee with envy and admiration, Lavalee's definitely going to top the rankings.
"Class, I must've forgotten to mention that starting tomorrow, you would be having your midterm exams." All of our shoulders dropped
Tomorrow.
The start of the midterm exams is still tomorrow but now our brains have been squeezed to answer the test.
"Your schedule would be posted on the school's page. Good luck students. " Said Mrs. Conchia and left the classroom
"What's with the long face, guys?" Lavalee asked
"That was great, Val. How did you answer all that?" Caspian asked Lavalee
"My brother asked someone to review me last week." She answered so we looked at her
Last week?
But she's at the Palace - Oh my gosh!
Not only was she punished with traditional underground punishment instead she was mentally tortured with business meetings and business conversations.
They tried to make her shut down both physically and mentally.
"Are you alright?" I asked her
"I'm fine. I've rested enough." She replied
"Aren't you tired?" Jess asked
"I'm fine." She said and went ahead
What's new?
There's no point in asking that question, she'll never say she's tired anyway.
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