Graduation Season

So when a fight would do, there was no need to waste words.

Against someone as insignificant as Carson, Feeney had no need to use his newly acquired Possessed by Evil Spirit. He didn't even want to use the Golden Great Deduction Technique. With the advantage of striking first and the decisive reflexes he'd honed over years of training, he was more than capable of handling things.

After just a few moves, Carson was sprawled on the ground. His friends were still standing nearby, staring blankly, unable to react.

Carson's talent for provoking people had now succeeded in turning a school rumor into fact. Feeney just had no idea what people would say about it this time.

Feeney glanced at the others and thought it over. In the end, he didn't make another move. Instead, he warned them, "I've trained in fighting. Think carefully before you come at me, or you'll be responsible for the consequences. Even if I go down, I guarantee one of you will end up worse off than me."

Before Carson had been beaten, Feeney's words would have sounded like mockery. But now Carson was on the ground, groaning and looking utterly miserable. The warning carried real weight.

The others looked from one to another, uncertain. They were young and hot-blooded, but they weren't stupid. They were on good terms with Carson, but Feeney's skill had given them pause.

Feeney could see that they wanted to back down, but were too embarrassed—or didn't know who should make the first move. So he said, "I think you'd better take him to the infirmary first."

His words gave them an excuse to retreat. They exchanged a knowing look, then began helping the unconscious Carson toward the infirmary.

After watching them leave, Feeney silently scoffed. He called a car to take him to Skye's Small Shop. Things were about to get busier, and he might not have many chances to make fried chicken rolls at the shop anymore.

He slipped in through the back door and found Skye sitting on the comfortable sofa, typing furiously on her computer. She hadn't noticed him arrive.

Quietly stepping behind her, Feeney saw streams of code flashing across the screen. It looked like she was attacking a website, something Skye, who called herself a hacker, did all the time.

Before long, the attack ended. Skye let out a long breath and stretched, her graceful figure forming a lovely curve.

Feeney couldn't help giving a soft cough. Skye jumped so badly she nearly threw her laptop.

"When did you get here?"

At that moment, Skye looked like a little cat with its fur standing on end, glaring fiercely at Feeney. Rather than intimidating him, it made her seem especially cute.

"I've been here a while. You were so focused that I didn't want to interrupt. Come on, get up and get ready. We're opening the shop." Feeney ignored the lethal force of Skye's glare and urged her to get moving.

"Hmph. I'm your older sister. Stop acting like you're older than me."

Skye reluctantly got up to get ready. Feeney was only fifteen, but no one who spent time with him treated him like a child.

Watching Skye bustle around, Feeney hesitated, then said, "Skye, after graduation, I might have some things to take care of, so I probably won't be coming around as much."

"Have you decided which university you're going to?"

Skye didn't think much of it and asked casually.

"Probably Columbia University."

"Hm? But that's still in New York." Skye turned back in confusion. When she saw the conflicted look on Feeney's face, she sensed something was wrong. "What's going on?"

"Even though it's still in New York, I might not come here to sell fried chicken rolls as often."

Feeney decided to explain it clearly. The main reason was that he knew Skye was interested in computers, not selling fried chicken rolls. The shop was just their Little Den, which was what made it so precious.

In the past, Skye would have pressed him for an explanation. But ever since learning about Feeney's unusual abilities, she'd realized that her little brother was even more mysterious than she'd imagined.

"Do we need to sell the shop?" Skye asked, reluctant to let it go. When the shop had first opened, she'd run it alone, and business had been so poor she'd nearly gone broke. Feeney had finally stepped in to help, and they'd managed to turn a profit.

"Of course not. Not coming as often doesn't mean I'll never come. Even if we stop selling fried chicken rolls, we can renovate the place and turn it into a café or something."

After doing business here for two years, Feeney had grown attached to the place. Besides, he had no need for money, so there was no reason to sell the shop.

Hearing this, Skye cheered up. After hesitating for a moment, she said, "Feeney, I don't know what you're planning to do, but please be careful. If there's anything I can do to help, you have to tell me."

"I know!"

Feeney knew she was worried. He walked over and gave her a gentle hug, then patted her shoulder and explained, "Actually, I'm planning to study magic. If I can, I'll ask whether you can learn it too."

"?"

If not for the strange things that had happened over the past two days, Skye would have been certain Feeney was teasing her. Even though she'd seen his superpowers with her own eyes, the sudden mention of studying magic was still hard to believe.

"Come on, go open the door."

As he spoke, Feeney used a skill to summon a batch of Sumire's Fried Chicken Rolls and set them out. Skye already knew about it, so there was no need to hide it anymore.

By the time Skye opened the door, the shop was filled with piles of fried chicken rolls, steaming as if they'd just come out of the oven.

After a busy day, Feeney and Skye returned home, having added some experience to the empty Experience Bar. That afternoon, he'd also told his customers that the shop might close for a while soon because he was going to university.

Though they were terribly disappointed, the business elites and big shots understood. Of course, the price was that he had to lift the purchase limit for the time being. He'd even secretly used his skills a few times to get through all the customers.

That evening, Feeney remembered Carson, whom he'd beaten badly enough to send to the hospital that afternoon, and wondered what would happen tomorrow. He'd held back, and although Carson had looked awful, his injuries weren't serious enough to stop him from going to school the next day.

To Feeney's surprise, Carson didn't come looking for trouble the next day. After asking around, Feeney learned that Carson had taken the day off.

It didn't take much thought to figure out why. His injuries weren't serious, but they were on his face, and the marks were obvious. Given the way high schoolers were, Carson probably didn't want anyone finding out he'd been beaten, so staying home was perfectly understandable.

With the troublemaker gone, Feeney was happy. But his name had spread, and he was known for being smart, handsome, tough, and well-off. He might have been a little young, but anyone who saw him in person stopped caring about that.

So, just as Graduation Season arrived, his popularity with girls suddenly soared, leaving Feeney distinctly uncomfortable.