Conflict

Polaris had heard Sean say before that her future life, including her future children, would belong to the Ledger.

Of everyone present at the time, Polaris was probably the only one who had taken Sean to mean that she would become responsible for the debt.

The girl had naively thought that a debt was just a debt. It would not turn into anything else.

Sean was rather helpless about this sort of thing.

Because the Black Ledger was completely beyond his control in this regard.

It had its own code of conduct.

"So you mean I belong to you entirely now."

"More or less."

"So I don't have to repay the debt anymore?"

Polaris's heart suddenly skipped a beat as she eagerly awaited Sean's answer.

Sean knew Polaris had gotten the wrong idea and patiently explained:

"Think of it this way. You're basically like a check for 1.7 billion now. Before it's cashed..."

Sean did not continue, but Polaris understood instantly.

"Heh..."

Polaris gave a bitter laugh.

Sean rolled his eyes at her. How much better was his own situation than Polaris's? He could not spend a single cent either.

Even the owner of the Black Ledger was treated like this, let alone a debtor under compulsory enforcement.

"Let's go!"

After finishing his ice cream, Sean stood up.

"To the clinic?"

"No. We'll go tomorrow after they've put up the house."

Polaris wiped her mouth and asked, "What about me? Where am I supposed to go now?"

"You don't have the fare to get back to the academy, do you?"

Sean glanced at Polaris. He knew her situation well, just as he had been unable to get back from Xavier's himself.

"Wouldn't you know whether I do or not?"

Polaris was annoyed, so she was not particularly polite to Sean.

Sean chuckled twice and did not take it personally. She was a young girl, after all. It would be strange if she had no emotions at all.

Yuriko drove them toward Vanessa's bookstore.

In the mere two or three kilometers they traveled, they came across two groups of people marching with signs. Neither group was large, only around a dozen people each.

What did the signs say? Stop discriminating against mutants. Mutants are human too. Things like that.

"Has it already reached this point?"

Sean murmured as he watched the marchers outside.

"More or less. Every major city has this kind of thing."

Polaris answered him.

"What's the point of these marches?"

"Isn't it better than doing nothing?"

Polaris countered.

"Quite the opposite. These marches make more people pay attention to mutants. And once they learn about the things mutants have done... you know, mutants aren't exactly well-liked."

"Your girlfriend is a mutant too. Why aren't you on the mutants' side?"

Polaris was puzzled by Sean's attitude.

"I only stand on the right side. Whoever's right, that's whose side I'm on."

"But mutants are the ones being persecuted."

"Doing whatever they please while shouting about being persecuted?"

Sean said indifferently.

"The ones you're talking about are only a minority among mutants. They can't represent all mutants."

Polaris grew a little anxious at that. She thought Sean's view was deeply flawed.

"I know. They can't represent all mutants. But they do represent the other mutants."

Sean leaned back against the seat, looking utterly listless. All he could offer for the mutants' plight was sympathy. As for anything else, they would have to leave it to fate.

Sean was not wrong. Mutants' reputation had indeed been ruined by a small handful of mutants.

But the root cause was not that small handful. It lay in the abilities possessed by some mutants.

Everyone had once fantasized about being a superhero. But very few could truly become one, because they did not have superpowers.

Mutants, however, did not need to do anything. They were born with special abilities.

Jealousy was the source of hatred.

The reason humans and mutants could still coexist in limited peace now—

was mainly because there were mutants with weak powers and strange side effects. They allowed humans to retain at least some sense of superiority.

If every mutant were like Storm, like Phoenix, like Mystique... Sean was certain of it!

Humans and mutants would have long since become irreconcilable enemies!

Being too outstanding was also a kind of mistake, especially between races.

Lauren Strucker was still at the bookstore's front desk. The girl politely greeted Sean.

"Vanessa isn't here?"

"Vanessa is upstairs."

Lauren replied with a sweet smile.

The moment Polaris heard that, she hurried toward the stairs.

Watching her rush ahead of him, Sean found it amusing. No matter how fast you are, Vanessa is still my girlfriend.

Lauren also curiously watched Polaris's retreating figure before turning to ask Sean:

"Mr. White, is that Miss Dane?"

"Her nickname is Polaris. An oddity among mutants."

It felt rather strange to speak ill of someone behind her back.

"Why do you say that?"

Lauren looked very curious, but Sean could tell at a glance that her expression was partly an act.

A thought flashed through his mind, and he understood why.

Was Lauren Strucker a mutant too? Very likely.

"You care a lot?"

Sean decided to tease the girl.

"No, no, I just... I was just curious!"

Lauren was startled and hurriedly waved her hands.

Seeing that he had frightened her, Sean burst out laughing.

Lauren had no idea what expression to make. Her face became stiff and strange.

"Mr. White, that's very rude!"

Lauren was getting a little angry from being laughed at.

"Is someone bullying our little Lauren?"

Vanessa's voice came from the second floor. Then she appeared, walking down the stairs. Her swaying steps made Sean's heart thump along with every step she took.

After two days without a taste of meat, Sean could not help swallowing.

"How could anyone bully adorable Lauren? Who's spreading such rumors?"

Sean played along with Vanessa's joke.

After saying that, he leaned close to Lauren and whispered:

"Want me to tell Polaris that you're very interested in him?"

He was only joking around, teasing the girl.

Lauren's face reddened as she shook her head and said:

"Vanessa, Mr. White said he's inviting me out for drinks tonight!"

Sean said, "That's right. Lauren has already agreed to have a couple of drinks with me tonight!"

At that, Lauren could not help laughing.

Vanessa gave the two of them an irritated look. How could her boyfriend joke and laugh with every kind of girl?

"Then we'll all have a couple of drinks tonight!"

As soon as she said that, not only was Sean stunned, but Lauren Strucker also wore a strange expression.

She was not even twenty yet. How could she drink?

"I don't think my father would approve!"

Lauren joked.

"I remember your father works for the FBI?"

"Yes, he used to. Later, he was transferred to a new department. It's pretty mysterious."

"A mysterious department? Sounds interesting."

Hearing Lauren say that, Sean did not think much of it. This world had no shortage of mysterious departments.

He did not care much about it either.

After waiting for Sean and Lauren to finish talking, Vanessa said to Sean:

"Sean, Lorna is coming home with me today."

Please provide the text you would like me to translate or revise. Once you provide the source text, I will ensure it is converted into natural, punchy English while strictly adhering to your formatting requirements.

"So there's definitely no place for me, then?"

This was a transitional chapter. I rewrote it several times, but I was never satisfied.

I really didn't have time, so please bear with it.