Heaven Defying System

Chapter 4: Are You Paying?

And that was how things ended up in the cafeteria.

After Darren Kessler ordered his lackeys to find Zevian Rook, it didn't take them long to track him down.

Unfortunately for Darren, finding Zevian was the easy part.

What happened afterward was another matter entirely.

"Couldn't even wait until I finished eating."

Zevian shook his head as he leaned back in his chair.

Around him, dozens of students were still staring in disbelief.

Darren Kessler and his two companions were sprawled across the cafeteria floor.

They had come looking for Zevian with every intention of teaching the supposedly timid scholarship student a lesson.

Instead, all three had ended up becoming part of the afternoon entertainment.

One was clutching his stomach.

Another was groaning beside an overturned chair.

As for Darren, he was slowly pushing himself off the table with a face so dark that several nearby students instinctively backed away.

Zevian ignored him.

His attention landed on the abandoned tray across from him.

It belonged to the girl who had fled earlier after Darren appeared.

Her food was practically untouched.

Zevian stared at it for two seconds.

'What a waste.'

His hand moved slightly.

Then stopped.

'No. That's stealing.'

He sighed regretfully.

Darren finally managed to stand.

"Rook!"

Zevian looked at him.

"You'll regret this."

"Alright."

Darren waited.

Zevian reached for his water.

That was it.

Darren's expression twitched.

"I said you'll regret this!"

"I heard you."

"Then why the hell are you acting like that?!"

Zevian became confused.

"How should I act?"

"You..."

Darren almost choked.

Zevian took a drink.

He genuinely didn't understand why Darren needed a particular reaction from him.

Should he tremble?

Apologize?

Perhaps beg?

That sounded exhausting.

Darren stepped forward.

"You think because you got lucky just now-"

"Goddess Sinclair!"

Someone suddenly exclaimed.

Darren stopped.

The cafeteria immediately stirred.

Zevian didn't need to turn around to know who had arrived.

The whispers did it for him.

Seraphina Sinclair walked through the cafeteria entrance.

Her long dark hair fell naturally over her shoulders, and her calm expression seemed almost indifferent to the attention surrounding her.

Students instinctively made room.

Darren's furious expression changed almost instantly.

"Seraphina."

She glanced at him.

"Darren."

A single word.

Polite.

Distant.

Darren nevertheless straightened his clothes as though the previous beating had never happened.

"What brings you here?"

Seraphina's gaze moved past him.

She saw one of his companions on the floor.

Then the other.

Finally, her eyes settled on Zevian.

"What happened here?"

Zevian pointed at Darren.

"He didn't like my lunch."

The cafeteria went silent.

Someone snorted.

Darren spun around.

"Who the hell cares about your lunch?!"

"Exactly. That's what I was wondering."

Several students covered their mouths.

Seraphina's lips curved slightly.

Darren noticed.

His face became ugly again.

"Seraphina, don't misunderstand. This bastard was deliberately provoking me."

"Was he?"

"Yes!"

Seraphina looked at Zevian.

"Were you?"

"No."

Darren nearly exploded.

"You're just going to believe him?!"

Seraphina turned back toward him.

"I didn't say I believed anyone."

Darren opened his mouth.

"But," she continued, glancing at the three battered young men, "there are three of you."

Darren fell silent.

"And one of him."

A few students laughed.

Zevian nodded approvingly.

"She's good at counting."

Darren's two companions wished the floor would swallow them.

Seraphina looked at Zevian again.

"Are you always like this?"

"Like what?"

She studied him for a moment.

"Never mind."

Then, to everyone's surprise, she walked around Darren and sat in the chair opposite Zevian.

The same chair the frightened girl had abandoned earlier.

Darren froze.

So did half the cafeteria.

Zevian looked at Seraphina.

Then at the chair.

Then back at her.

"That's occupied."

Seraphina raised an eyebrow.

"The owner ran away."

"She might come back."

"Will she?"

Zevian considered Darren standing nearby.

"Probably not."

Seraphina smiled.

Darren clenched his fists.

"Seraphina, you came here for him?"

"Yes."

One word.

Darren's face stiffened.

Whispers immediately erupted around them.

Zevian, meanwhile, picked up his water again.

"What do you need?"

"Do I need something to talk to you?"

"Usually."

Seraphina leaned slightly forward.

She wasn't accustomed to this.

Men usually found excuses to extend conversations with her. Zevian seemed determined to make every conversation as efficient as possible.

"You're difficult to find."

"I'm usually in class."

"I went to your classroom."

"I wasn't there."

"I noticed."

"Then you found me."

"...Obviously."

"Problem solved."

Seraphina stared at him.

Zevian drank his water.

For some reason, she suddenly wanted to kick him under the table.

Instead, she smiled.

Darren watched that smile and felt his blood pressure rise.

Seraphina Sinclair rarely showed genuine warmth toward men.

Yet she had personally searched for this nobody twice?

"Rook."

Zevian looked toward Darren.

"Stay out of this."

"Out of what?"

"You know damn well what!"

"No, I don't."

Darren pointed at Seraphina.

"Stop pretending! Someone like you has no business getting close to her!"

Zevian looked at the finger.

Then at Seraphina.

Then back at Darren.

"Didn't we already discuss this?"

Darren's jaw tightened.

"If she approaches me, tell her."

Seraphina's eyebrows rose.

Zevian casually pointed toward her.

"She's right there."

Several students burst out laughing.

"You can tell her now."

Darren's face went from red to purple.

Even Seraphina had to look away for a moment.

"Rook, you-"

"Darren."

Seraphina's voice turned cold.

He stopped.

"You're making a scene."

The laughter disappeared.

Darren looked around and finally noticed how many phones were pointed toward them.

His humiliation was already bad enough.

Continuing would only make it worse.

He glared at Zevian.

"This isn't over."

Zevian sighed.

"You said that already."

Darren turned and stormed away.

His two companions hurried after him, limping.

Once they disappeared, the cafeteria gradually became noisy again.

But almost every conversation concerned the same two people.

Zevian Rook.

Seraphina Sinclair.

Seraphina rested her chin lightly against one hand.

"You really aren't afraid of him."

"Should I be?"

"His family has money."

"So?"

"They have connections."

"Good for them."

She watched him carefully.

There wasn't any bravado in his voice.

No attempt to impress her.

He simply didn't care.

Interesting.

Very interesting.

Seraphina crossed one leg over the other.

"Are you free tonight?"

The surrounding tables went silent again.

Zevian noticed.

He looked around.

Several students immediately pretended they hadn't been listening.

He turned back.

"Why?"

Seraphina paused.

"Do I need a reason?"

"Usually."

Again.

That answer again.

Seraphina suppressed her irritation.

"I want to have dinner with you."

A spoon fell somewhere nearby.

Zevian stared at her.

Seraphina maintained her calm smile.

She knew exactly what she looked like.

She also knew what those words usually did to men.

Zevian's gaze remained on her face.

One second.

Two.

Three.

Seraphina became strangely expectant.

Then he asked the most important question.

"Are you paying?"

"...What?"

"Dinner."

"I know what dinner is."

"Are you paying?"

Seraphina stared at him.

Around them, students were beginning to wonder whether Zevian had suffered brain damage during the fight.

One of Auremont's Three Campus Goddesses had personally invited him to dinner.

And this bastard was asking who would pay?

Seraphina slowly nodded.

"Yes. I'm paying."

Zevian immediately stood.

"Sure."

Her eyes narrowed.

"That convinced you?"

"Free food."

"..."

Zevian picked up his tray.

Seraphina watched him.

Something about his satisfied expression irritated her more than an outright rejection would have.

She was Seraphina Sinclair.

Men spent fortunes trying to impress her.

This man had apparently accepted a date because he could save money on dinner.

"Seven tonight," she said.

"Where?"

"I'll message you."

Zevian paused.

"You don't have my number."

Seraphina took out her phone and held it toward him.

"Then give it to me."

Several male students looked ready to die.

Zevian calmly entered his number.

"There."

Seraphina checked it.

"Don't stand me up."

"If you're paying, I won't."

She stared at him.

Zevian walked away carrying his tray.

At the cafeteria entrance, Miles Boone had apparently witnessed enough to lose his mind.

He rushed toward Zevian.

"Brother!"

"What?"

Miles grabbed his shoulders.

"Goddess Sinclair asked you to dinner!"

"Apparently."

"Do you understand what just happened?!"

"Yes."

"What?!"

Zevian looked at him strangely.

"I'm getting free dinner."

Miles slowly released him.

He suddenly felt that communicating with Zevian required skills he did not possess.

Behind them, Seraphina watched Zevian leave.

Her expression remained composed.

This wasn't going quite as expected.

Still, she wasn't worried.

She had plenty of time.

Zevian Rook simply needed a little more effort.

And Seraphina Sinclair had never failed once she decided to make a man look at her.