Frederick raised a brow, the faintest trace of amusement flickering in his eyes.
"Oh? A Welcome Party?" he repeated, voice laced with mocking curiosity. "Is that what we're calling it now?"
He gestured lazily toward the scene beside him where a Third Year was frozen by his mana control and then below at the compound, his smirk growing.
"Because no matter how I look at it, all I see are First Years surrounded by Second and Third Years, like lambs herded into a circle... while one of your number puts on a brilliant performance—trying to kick down the door of the First Year Dormitory."
The silence that followed was damning.
The Third Years shifted uncomfortably.
The Second Years tried not to breathe too loud, everyone making sure that they were not Frederick's target.
The leading Third Year student clicked his tongue in quiet frustration, a gesture hidden beneath a composed exterior.
