CHAPTER - 124

  Narrator: With a small smile on his face, Dav felt the weight of those ten years now gone, never to return.

  The people around him now lived in the age of rest, or the age of work and study.

  From afar, he watched his family as they spoke with Vik.

  Dav: (Small smile) It was nice seeing you again.

  I’ve got some matters to take care of, then I need to return to the academy.

  I can’t be away too long.

  Anjelmo: (Touching his shoulder) I hope to see you soon.

  And I hope you’ll introduce me to those women you mentioned.

  I’m sure they’re fine people.

  Dav: (Waving) See you next time, Anjelmo!

  Entering the house

  Dav: (Looking at his mother) Did you talk?

  Melissa: (Smiling) Vik will help and protect us while you’re away.

  You won’t have to worry about us old folks.

  Theo: (Sipping tea) Exactly.

  Vik will start training and whipping his men into shape over the next two weeks.

  If they prove themselves and don’t cause trouble, we’ll gladly accept them.

  Vik: (Bowing) I swear on my life: I’ll whip them all into shape.

  There will be no trouble.

  Stolen story; please report.

  Dav: (Leaving) Good. See you then.

  I’m heading back to the academy.

  Melissa: (Waving her hand) Safe travels, my sweet boy!

  Theo: (Yelling) Make sure to come back during your next leave!

  Don’t wait until we’re dead!

  Dav: (Floating) Alright!!

  (Looking at Vik) I’m leaving them to you, Vik.

  Don’t make me regret it.

  Vik: (Kneeling) At your command, sir.

  Present

  Narrator: They got into two cars.

  The first included: Dav, Vik, Valeria, Iris, and Elysia.

  The second: Selene, Rafael, Lucrezia, and the rest of the kids.

  Dav: (Looking at Vik) Tell the driver to take us to a big shopping mall, then to a proper restaurant.

  [Vik, wearing sunglasses and a red suit with a tie, pressed the button to open the divider with the driver.]

  Vik: (Looking at Dav) We’ll make sure no one disturbs you during shopping or at the restaurant.

  We certainly won’t just sit in the car.

  Dav: (Removing his mask) Then I can take this off without worrying about the crowd swarming me...

  (Laughing softly) Our Vik will protect us.

  Vik: (Serious smile) Exactly, sir.

  Another car with eight guards will join us shortly.

  They’ll accompany the students and professors while shopping.

  Two guards are already in this car, and two in the other.

  [Arriving at the shopping mall]

  Dav: (Silly face) Now I give you permission to disappear.

  Be back here at the entrance in exactly two hours: then we’ll head to dinner.

  Stick close to the guards and don’t try to ditch them.

  Vik: (Pointing to the kids) Guards, don’t lose sight of any of them.

  Or there will be serious consequences.

  Guards: (Heads high) Yes, sir!

  [Dav looked at the other professors and Iris]

  Dav: (With hand in his pocket) Let’s hit some stores.

  Maybe there’s something interesting.

  Narrator: The professors nodded and followed Dav through the shops, checking out displays of shoes, bracelets, and clothes.

  They first entered a clothing store, pushed by Iris and Valeria, while Dav followed with a silly and resigned expression.

  Everyone started trying on clothes and picking up items for the nearing summer.

  Valeria and Iris, hyper and smiling, brought Dav a mountain of outfits, asking him to try them all.

  He kept walking out of the fitting rooms in different looks.

  Many outfits were deliberately mismatched, just to laugh at him and see his silly, resigned reactions.

  Selene approached and handed him a sporty shirt: tight, black, long-sleeved, perfect for movement without catching a cold, with tiny symbols printed in sequence.

  Dav put it on, showing off his sculpted physique.

  He looked satisfied and thanked Selene, who smiled, pleased.

  The women stared at his detailed physique highlighted by the shirt, blushing without saying a word.

  Valeria and Iris seemed a bit jealous: Dav thanked Selene and not them, even though they had brought him dozens of clothes — even if just for laughs.

  So they rushed to find something he might truly like, rummaging all over the store.

  Dav, with a silly but pleased expression, watched the whole scene.

  Then he looked at Rafael, who was trying on a Hawaiian shirt and dancing happily with Lucrezia, big smiles on their faces.

  Dav (thinking): Look at those two, having a blast, haha...

  END OF CHAPTER - 124