Others Summon, I Forge Beast Armor

About fifteen years ago, Roselyn Kingsley and Principal Claris had been students at the academy, just like Luke and his sisters were now.

But Claris was like Camilia. She had come from Luminara El Caria Academy to Montclair to serve under the previous Principal as an apprentice. She was learning everything she needed so she could become the Principal herself one day.

Back then, elitism was even worse than it was now. Claris came from an ennobled family under the Kingsleys, which was why students like Roselyn Kingsley looked down on her.

Roselyn Kingsley was also the campus flower.

She was beautiful and popular, and almost every boy wanted to chase after her. Wherever Roselyn went, people noticed her. Guys tried to get close to her, girls wanted to be her friends, and everyone knew her name.

But there was only one girl who could rival Roselyn’s beauty.

Her twin sister, Penelope.

_She_ was the real beauty.

Claris didn’t know much about the Kingsley family back then because she was below them to know about their family matters. But from her place at the bottom of the ladder, she was sure of one thing: Roselyn Kingsley had always been jealous of her sister.

Claris remembered how Roselyn dealt with people she didn’t like. She would start a rumor here and spread a story there until the person standing in her way became a laughingstock, stripped of their dignity.

The only person she showed little mercy to was her sister because Penelope was innocent and never wanted trouble with anyone.

Claris wasn’t so lucky.

Whenever Claris tried to interfere and bring Roselyn’s bad actions to justice, Roselyn would attack her too. A rumor here. An accusation there.

She made Claris’s life a living hell, and it was something Claris could never forget.

Roselyn Kingsley always, always got what she wanted.

Just look at her now.

She had gotten her sister’s lover, Cedric, and even became the Duchess of the city.

Talk about successful!

But Claris had no doubt Roselyn wasn’t satisfied yet. A woman like her would always want to climb higher. Maybe she would even try to marry the President one day and become the First Lady.

Meanwhile, Roselyn Kingsley had skipped any reunion speech with Principal Claris. As far as she was concerned, Claris was beneath her, so why pretend otherwise?

Roselyn was the Duchess of the most thriving city on the planet, while Claris was simply running a school. Big difference.

Roselyn thought even her maids were more important than Claris.

”I would love to hear your thoughts, My Lady,” Claris said, dropping her pen and relaxing in her chair. ”But I fear they may be too vile for my humble mind to endure. Please, tell me why you are here.”

”I was coming to that, Principal. But I was just taking in the atmosphere,” Roselyn replied, looking around the office with an aristocratic eye. ”Are you happy with... this?”

By ”this,” she meant the office. The position. The academy. All of it.

And yes, Claris was happy.

She couldn’t imagine herself doing anything else. She had accepted her role of training and guiding the future saviors of the world, and she was proud of it.

But she didn’t even get the chance to answer before Roselyn continued.

”If you’re so happy with this, then I don’t understand why you seem so eager to lose it.”

”Excuse me?”

”I was informed that my order through the Warden was denied. Then I learned who was responsible for it. Imagine my surprise when I found out it was you. So I’m only wondering if you’re still taking your position as Principal seriously.”

”Are you trying to impeach me, Mrs. Kingsley, because I denied a proposal without due process?” Principal Claris asked.

”I’m saying that I am the Duchess of this city, as well as the Director-General of the Confederacy, and I will not have my orders stalled by a ’Principal.’”

Principal Claris now realized what Roselyn was trying to do. Rather than fighting back, Claris shrugged as if the threat didn’t shake her at all.

”Go ahead and try to impeach me then, if you think you can,” she said. ”You don’t have the power to just remove me on a whim. My appointment was done through due process too, not from orders.”

Roselyn Kingsley narrowed her icy eyes and clenched her jaw. She hated that Claris was right.

Claris had always been like this. Always standing behind the law, upholding justice and rules, and acting like a miss goody-two-shoes. But nobody was perfect.

Where was all that virtue when she was sleeping with her own student, Luke?

If only Roselyn had proof, that might just be enough to get Claris impeached.

”I might not be able to impeach you, but I can place you on mandatory administrative leave,” Roselyn said, and she was right.

The Director-General could use something called experimental administration to make temporary changes in an institution, as long as those changes didn’t go beyond the allowed time limit.

Claris jumped to her feet to argue, but Roselyn knew she had aced her move.

”You can’t do this, Roselyn!” Claris yelled, slamming her hands on the desk. ”I know you’re planning something bad for Luke, and I won’t let you!”

”How interesting... I never even mentioned Luke’s name once,” Roselyn hummed. ”It seems you care about my nephew quite a bit.”

Claris instantly regretted her slip of the tongue.

”You will pack your bags and return to your family for the next month,” Roselyn ordered. ”The Vice Principal will take over your office in the meantime.”

”And if I refuse?” Claris asked defiantly, but she was nowhere near prepared for what Roselyn said next.

********

Meanwhile, the Principal’s door leaked like a sieve once again.

Camilia came out of her office to hand some documents to the Principal, but she stopped by the door when she heard voices inside. A long conversation between two women who had a past.