Chapter 291 : A Warning
Chapter 291: A Warning
“Get lost. I won't say it twice.”
Without letting go of the steering wheel, Aaron warned them coldly.
However, the troops surrounding him didn't move an inch.
They remained perfectly courteous, but it was obvious they had no intention of obeying him.
“Chairman Aaron.”
The commander, dressed in a suit and sunglasses, spoke in a firm voice.
“Allow me to repeat myself. President Kalia wishes to meet with you.”
“……”
Aaron slightly frowned as he turned his head toward the commander, silently sizing him up.
Then he carefully examined the demeanor of everyone surrounding the vehicle.
They were visibly tense.
Of course, they probably didn't believe this level of force could stop Aaron.
Even so, they showed no intention whatsoever of backing down.
“……So, it seems you have something to rely on?”
“……”
“State your affiliation and your name.”
“……Pardon?”
“Are you deaf?”
The moment Aaron repeated himself—
The soldiers surrounding the vehicle carrying Aaron and Airy all collapsed to the ground simultaneously.
It was as though an invisible boulder had fallen from the sky onto them.
“C-Cough... Guaaagh...!?”
“So Kalia trusts you lot quite a bit.”
“Otherwise, you wouldn't dare show such an attitude in front of me.”
“H-Hrrgh...!!”
Aaron turned his gaze forward once more.
Without even looking at them, he calmly continued speaking as though nothing unusual had happened.
“Now that you've borrowed the authority of a tiger, does the whole world seem like it belongs to you?”
“Did you think you could treat me the same way you deal with those commonplace politicians and insignificant corporate chairmen?”
“Did you assume I was someone who would lose and quietly step aside?”
“T-That's not—!”
“How laughable.”
Kuuung!
With a single word from him, the soldiers' bodies were crushed down even harder.
The Powered Armor they wore began emitting loud creaking sounds as the metal twisted under the overwhelming pressure.
Several of them had already begun sinking into the asphalt itself.
They couldn't understand it.
What exactly was crushing them?
Every bone in their bodies screamed in agony.
They couldn't even breathe.
They too were Adaptees with remarkably high Replacement Rates.
Yet no matter how much strength they exerted, they couldn't move even an inch.
“Go tell Kalia.”
“Tell her to stop interfering and quietly wait.”
“When the time comes—or if I feel like it—I will go meet her myse—”
[That's enough, Brother.]
At that moment, a woman's voice rang out from somewhere.
It was Kalia's voice.
The holographic device carried by the employee who had been speaking to Aaron moments ago suddenly activated, projecting an image.
“Kalia.”
[If my employees behaved rudely, then I apologize.]
[So please forgive them.]
[I have no desire to oppose you in a place like this, Brother.]
“……”
[I ask you sincerely.]
At Kalia's plea, Aaron let out a faint scoff.
At the same time, the unknown force crushing Kalia's subordinates vanished.
One after another, they painfully regained their senses and stood back up.
Some, however, remained unconscious, and their comrades hurriedly evacuated them.
After waiting for the commotion to settle...
Kalia was the first to speak.
[You truly are difficult to meet, Brother.]
“Aren't we both busy people?”
[Really?]
[Yet despite that, weren't you out driving around with a pretty young girl sitting beside you?]
[Judging by the looks of it, you came down from Elysium... Could it be you even spent last night together?]
“Wha...!”
Anyone could tell exactly what Kalia was implying.
Airy's face instantly turned bright red, and she was about to respond.
But Aaron stopped her and answered in her place.
“What if we did?”
[Nothing.]
[I simply heard rumors that you neglected even your fiancée and devoted yourself entirely to work.]
[Then I found out you stayed out drinking late into the night with a female student you sponsor, brought her back to your mansion...]
[And the two of you only came out together the following day?]
“……”
[Well, I've known you for over twenty years, Brother.]
[You've never shown the slightest interest in romance.]
[To be honest, as your younger sister, that's actually rather reassuring.]
[But what do you think other people would think if they saw this?]
[What would they think upon seeing one of Trinity Academy's most respected educators acting like this?]
“How about you know what you're talking about before you start speaking?”
At that moment, Airy raised her voice.
She glared fiercely at Kalia's holographic image as though she were about to pounce on her.
“You're talking as if Chairman Aaron had some kind of improper intentions toward me.”
“For someone who's supposedly his younger sister, your judgment of people is pretty terrible compared to your brother's.”
“Airy.”
“I'm sorry, Chairman.”
“But I have to say this.”
[Hm?]
[Do you even know who I am?]
“I do.”
“So what?”
“What are you going to do about it?”
Airy answered with a scoff.
She had always possessed a strong rebellious streak.
The story of how she'd kicked Aaron without warning when she first entered Trinity Academy was famous enough that practically everyone knew it.
After becoming Student Council President, she'd matured through countless experiences.
Much of her rough speech and behavior from her days in the Fallen District had disappeared.
However, that was only because her affection for Aaron had become a sort of restraint.
Her fundamental nature itself had never changed.
No...
If anything, she couldn't help reacting even more intensely in this situation.
After all...
The person being attacked was none other than the man she loved.
At first, she'd intended to hold herself back because Kalia was Aaron's younger sister.
But the moment she saw Kalia's attitude, she completely snapped.
Who cared if she was his sister?
If you mess with our Chairman, I'll bite you.
Even if the person standing there had been Emperor Drake Stingray instead of Kalia...
Airy would have acted exactly the same way.
[H-Haha...]
And Airy's attitude was more than enough to bewilder Kalia, who normally excelled at dealing with people.
After all...
She had dealt with wealthy families, politicians, legal professionals, Mafia bosses, and countless influential figures.
But she'd never dealt with someone who came straight off the streets like Airy.
[I heard you're from the Fallen District.]
“You're quite bold, aren't you?”
“Does where I come from matter?”
“Then does being from Elysium mean your heart is pitch black?”
“W-What...?”
It was the first time anyone had openly insulted her to her face like this.
For a moment, Kalia trembled with rage, unable to continue speaking.
But only for a moment.
Quickly regaining her composure, she spoke again.
[…Well, it's not as though I intended to insult my brother.]
[I only said it because I was worried.]
[No matter how much you deny it, that's not how the world will see it.]
[People will simply assume that a wealthy heir used money to force a female student into his bed.]
[Isn't that a perfectly reasonable suspicion?]
“No.”
[What?]
“Do you even know how hard Chairman Aaron tries to keep his distance from students?”
“What?”
“He uses money to force female students?”
“Don't make me laugh.”
“It's completely the opposite.”
“T-The opposite...?”
“Do you know how many girls at the Academy like Chairman Aaron?”
“They all just think he's completely out of their league.”
“Money?”
“Forget money.”
“Both the boys and the girls just want to hold his hand once.”
“And why would Chairman Aaron even need to spend money?”
“……Airy.”
Aaron once again tried to stop her.
But the ears of someone who had already gone completely berserk heard nothing.
“Ah, seriously, this is so infuriating!”
“Do you even know how impossible Chairman Aaron is when it comes to students?”
“Do you have any idea how I've felt all this time because of that?”
“Don't make me laugh!”
“If the public starts spreading rumors that Chairman Aaron laid a hand on a student, I'll hold a press conference myself and testify!”
“The one harboring improper feelings isn't Chairman Aaron—it's me!”
“So if you're going to insult someone, insult me instead of Chairman Aar— Mmph!!”
“……Airy.”
Aaron hurriedly covered Airy's mouth as she continued shouting uncontrollably.
“……Please.”
“For the love of everything, calm down... Please.”
At first, Airy struggled desperately, trying to push Aaron's hand away.
But after about twenty seconds, she gave up and quieted down.
Her ears and face had turned as red as an apple, and she couldn't even lift her head.
Apparently, she'd finally realized how embarrassingly shameless everything she'd just shouted had been.
After somehow managing to calm down one rampaging wild dog, Aaron cleared his throat.
“Ahem.”
[Ah... Um... Y-Yes... S-Sorry.]
Kalia had also been left speechless by Airy's outburst.
Only after hearing Aaron's cough did she finally regain her senses.
Returning to her usual poker face, she let out a small sigh before speaking again.
[U-Um... Anyway, I've been trying to contact you recently, Brother, but you refused to meet me, so I ended up acting a little childish.]
[Please forgive me.]
“……Fine.”
“Get to the point.”
[The point... Um...]
Still not completely back to herself, Kalia stumbled over her words for a moment before finally continuing.
[I believe you're already aware of what I've been doing recently.]
[Even so, you haven't shown any reaction at all.]
[So I wanted to know what exactly you were thinking.]
[That's why I wanted to meet you in person and talk.]
“I have nothing to say.”
Aaron cut her off immediately.
Kalia's brows furrowed in displeasure.
[Do you truly mean that?]
“Do whatever you want.”
“I won't stop you.”
[Even if I drive Father out and become the Next Chairman of the Stingray Group in your place?]
“I don't care.”
“Though I do wonder whether that old man would quietly step down.”
“But if you can accomplish it, then by all means.”
“You have my support.”
[……What exactly are you thinking?]
Kalia asked cautiously.
Aaron answered with a scoff.
“Let me make this perfectly clear.”
“I have no interest whatsoever in the Chairman's position.”
“There are no schemes.”
“There are no traps.”
“If you want to become Chairman, then do it.”
“I have no intention of interfering.”
“But let me warn you...”
Aaron's voice sharpened.
“Do not touch me or my students.”
“For at least the next four years, I have no intention of giving up my position as Chairman of the Foundation.”
“So don't concern yourself with what I do.”
“If you can keep just that one promise...”
“Then four years from now, I'll retire quietly and disappear.”
[You expect me to believe that... right now?]
“Believe it.”
“You'd be better off believing me.”
Aaron drove the point home one final time.
“Unless you want to go to war with me.”
Vroooom!
Having said everything he wanted to say, Aaron immediately stepped on the accelerator and drove away into the distance.
Their conversation ended there.
However, the call remained connected.
Watching Aaron's vehicle disappear into the distance, Kalia couldn't help sinking into even deeper thought.
[War...]
As Kalia softly murmured the word in hesitation, a strange light of magical power flickered within her golden eyes.
Yet no one noticed.
Not even Kalia herself.