บท 70: Once again in Zaragoza
The supervision put on the students of the first year class R was put in place because of being the possible responsible for the abuses towards innocent students. The reason: overestimation of self and lack of empathy leading to rebellious and abusive behavior towards the weaker ones making it merit restrictions.
In the history of ARET, only this case had happened, but in a worse way 16 years ago; however, on this occasion in which the same story was repeated, there was something strange: the other victims did not confess nor dared to speak out against that class, even though two of them had been charged.
This left one to wonder about two possibilities: Were the attackers only from the R class or were they also students from other faculties?
Not many wanted to consider the second possibility, which already had rumors and all the resentment fell on those students in uniform. For this, a video circulated on campus networks showing representatives of second and third year students commenting that they were not involved in any criminal act and that they were categorically against the abuses mentioned; soon, the other faculties rose up against the famous bullying.
Interestingly, no official news of these cases was spread outside ARET and it was dealt with internally.
The routine was to be the same for everyone back in class R from their dorms to their classes and from their classes to the dorms. All basic necessities such as food were given in the dorms and they were not allowed to leave without permission.
While not everyone was implicated and even there was no evidence against them, even up to the daughter of monarchs and relatives of the aristocracy or billionaire heirs were to be subject to the restrictions.
No one objected to this.
A few hours having passed, Glen and Aren had finally arrived in Zaragoza.
- Wow ... I didn't think I'd be back here so soon ...
- Well, let's go to...
Interrupting Aren's words, Glen smilingly pulled out a camera.
- First things first...
Aren sighed.
Driving through the streets and avenues, the acclaimed ftown song began to be heard inside the vehicle. Glen wasted no time and began strolling through the city while Aren took pictures.
- Couldn't you do this the time we came here? - Aren asked.
- Well, I didn't. Stop asking questions and just take pictures ...
Going around the tourist areas such as the Zaragoza Cathedral, the Aljaferia, the Church of San Pablo and the Water Park, Glen seemed to be like a child because of the happiness he was expressing. On the other hand, Aren kept taking pictures of these places.
Two, three to four hours were spent sightseeing.
- Hey... Seriously, why are we doing this now? What are you hiding? - Aren asked frustrated.
- Hey... I already told you...
- Yes, now tell me the truth.
- ... But I already told you that...
Speaking, Glen could notice the incredulous look on his friend's face who kept looking at him.
- W-Well ... my parents ...
- What about your parents?
- You know ... it's been a while since I haven't talked to my parents and they think I'm currently in high school.
- What?
- Well ... when I left home, I had a condition that I had to enter a certain academy ... actually my grandparents were the ones who imposed this on me.
- Academy?
- Yes... it's a famous one that has some famous students.
- What are you talking about? - Aren was asking more and more confused.
- I'm talking about ARET...
- ...
- I was supposed to go there this year, but I didn't want to waste my life in a high school.
- ... What does that have to do with what we're doing here?
- Well, over a month ago, my parents called me and asked me how I had done... I told them that I had passed and that I was on a trip to celebrate two with some friends...
- ... What else did they tell you?
- To send them some pictures...
- ...did they give you money to take the exam?
- Yes...
- And that money?
- I spent it on parties...
- ...I must ask... Are your parents coming here to visit you?
- Yes...
- When are they coming?
- In three months...
Aren sighed and, seeing the slumped figure of his friend, sat down next to him and spoke.
- Let's keep taking pictures.
- Thank you ... for keeping your promise.
- Don't worry ... at least you can have the money back.
- How?
- Sell your car.
- ...I can't...
- Why not? It's nice...
- It's nice... and it's new...
Aren sighed.
Eating a hamburger inside his black car, a man was silently observing the pair sitting on the sidewalk benches near the minivan.
- ... What are they, a gay couple? ... Where are they planning to go? - was the sarcastic muttering of the man in semi-formal clothes.
Getting into the car, they headed to a nearby restaurant for lunch again without realizing that they were being followed.
Inside the restaurant, they both tasted the typical food of the area.
- Here is your cod and rice with borage. - said the waitress who was serving them.
While Glen began to eat, Aren kept looking at the plate in front of him.
- What, you're not going to eat? And I'm buying?
- ... It's not that...
- Then what?
- ... I ordered rice, but why did you bring me soup? - Aren said without taking his eyes off his food.
- ... Well, you should have asked the waitress before ordering.
- ... Well, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger ... or so they say ... - answered the young man as he picked up his cutlery.
Inside that restaurant, there was that unknown man who was also about to start eating.
- Are you on a date or something? ... Come on, tell me where are you going?
- Here are your chickpeas..." said a waitress who had brought a dish to their table.
- Ah, yes... Thank you.
The man began to eat.
Leaving the restaurant, Aren and Glen got into the minivan and drove on.
- Now can we go? - Aren asked.
- Yes... Where did you say the place was?
- I sent you the address by WhatsApp.
- Ok, I'll check it now... Movera 173... Oh, it's close... We'll be there in 10 minutes.
Being behind them, a call rang inside a car.
- Hello.
- Renaud, how's it going? - he was heard saying over the phone.
- I'm still following ... but I don't know exactly where they want to go.
- ... Have they noticed you?
- No, I'm absolutely sure of it.
- Well, let us know when you catch up with them.
- Roger that.
The call ended.
Near their destination, the pair were still talking.
- You know... Do you have any news about what's going on in Luesia? - Aren asked.
- Luesia? ... Ah! You're talking about that little town or village, I think it was ... I only know that they have closed their doors.
- How?
- Yes ... I don't know if you heard, but there were several kidnappings a while ago, but they still operated travel agencies ... However, since the disappearance of one of their authorities and the mayoress, they have closed the entrance to people from outside. They are in a state of emergency, I think.
- ... I see ...
- Why do you ask?
- ... I was planning to pass by there, but I don't think it will be possible.
- Yes, my friend. With what we already have on our hands, it's more than enough.
Before we could continue our conversation, the car suddenly stopped.
The two young men said nothing until they read the sign on the side of the road.
Notice: Private Residence. Entry prohibited to unauthorized personnel.
- ... You know, when I read this, it makes me want to fight him.
- Me too. - Aren added.
A few minutes before the end of their afternoon classes, Liam, who was sitting in the back rows, unlike Daniel and Renato who were in the front row listening attentively to everything the professor was explaining, spoke.
- Are you still upset?
- ... No, not anymore. - replied Leandro who was sitting next to him.
Liam who watched him seemed not to believe the answer, but was sympathetic.
- Was their relationship always like this?
- ... No, not always.
- ...
- Before he was a little better ... but it seems that something happened last year when he took the test to change course.
- ... I understand ... you seem to know about that.
- More or less ... Richard and I took the same entrance exam last year ... the test was different from this year's; actually, it was like it had generally been during the past years ...
- What do you mean?
- The entrance exam was simply an aptitude test behind closed doors where each applicant demonstrated the skills that each one had awakened ... I don't know if you know this, but ARET implemented the entrance exam only ten years ago; previously only people who were referred by graduates were accepted ... having that recognition was as if they had already passed the exam ...
- ...
- Then, when the exam was implemented, the instructors and professors of ARET decided to see which test was the most optimal to be able to define that a person has the capacity to develop their abilities ...
- Develop their skills? Wasn't the goal to find people who had already awakened? - Liam asked.
- No, that's not quite true ... it is said that in the early days of ARET, over 15 years ago ... the entrants were more like guinea pigs; not everyone could develop their skills ... most just got stuck with what little they got and others were handicapped by not knowing how to control their skills ... it was all trial and error. Year after year, ARET became more polished and the number of graduates slowly increased to what we now know ...
- ... In this exam, were you the ones who attacked us on that night? - Liam asked.
Leandro smiled.
- Did you notice?
- Only me ...
- I wasn't wrong then ... Yes, in this last exam, ARET's objective changed ... those of us who failed the previous exam were summoned to be part of the first generation prepared for the entrance exam, although not all of us could make it.
- Do you know why they did it this way? To put wild animals like tigers and make us fight each other ... it seems absurd to me.
Leandro laughed lightly.
- About that, even I don't know the reason ... our high school teacher only told us that several changes were coming ... and about the exam he told us that in order for you to pass it at least, it was not necessary to fight, but it was mostly a test of mental dexterity ...
Hearing such a statement, Liam looked a little surprised at Leandro.
- None of us understood what he was referring to, but we did get a surprise when the Duchess of Saragossa announced the results of the test.
Liam sighed and closed his eyes.
- That among all the participants, there was a group that shared their token codes among them without having the need to fight to get them ... ... Their move seemed to be illegal, but it did not violate any of the rules of the exam ... I remember that day all my people and I were resentful for the opportunity they had given you guys.
- ... Well, I don't waste opportunities. - Liam replied.
- How humble of you ... Anyway, getting back to Richard, he was already pretty much like that ... I'm just warning you that if you meet him, watch out for his performance.
- What do you mean? - Liam asked.
At that instant, the class term bell rang.
- He ... acts like a sheep with his insides being worse than a wolf. Don't get carried away by his words.
- ...I understand, thanks for the advice...I'll try to fall...just like you did. - Liam replied amicably.
- What? - Recognizing the boy's intention, Leandro smiled letting see how the friendship between them was growing.
That day, neither Richard nor some other repeating students attended classes.
Leaving the minivan parked hidden among some bushes, a few meters away, two young men were hiding and could see the entrance gates to the villa in Zaragoza in the distance.
- So... How do we get in? - said Glen as he inspected the area.
- ... First let's see if there are security cameras and then see if there are any guards nearby.
- Got it, boss. - Glen replied as a soldier.
Walking discreetly around the area, the pair looked around trying to figure out what the layout of the place looked like.
Half an hour had passed, but it was more than enough time for the pair.
- Two guards at the gate and one at every meter ... security cameras on every post ... there are surely more inside the residence. - Aren muttered.
- Also only three non-guards have been shown approaching the gates ... in fact, there may be more inside ...
- ...
- The question is ... do we use that irrigation channel we found to get in?
- ... I don't know, it seems very narrow.
Among the ideas they were both thinking about how to enter that place, a voice came to Aren's mind.
- Beware of the one who follows in your footsteps. - was the voice that only the young man heard.
- Athenas?
- Athenas? Who are you talking about? - asked Glen.
- No... nothing... I thought I heard something.
The voice was not heard again.
Aren's gaze darted to his rear, but he saw no one. Still the warning echoed in his mind.
- Let's try the water channel ... it's better than waiting here. - Aren commented.
- ... Okay, let's go.
Both young men went towards the place they were talking about, trying not to make any noise; however, behind them a silhouette appeared and watched them walking away.
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