I'm a proper student; I only take nine kinds of potions every day.

Many aristocrats and wealthy merchants, alarmed by the commotion, donned makeshift coats and, accompanied by their family bodyguards, emerged from their rooms to join the spectacle downstairs.

At that moment, the crystal chandelier in the lobby was manually adjusted to its brightest setting.

The entire space was illuminated by those excessively bright lights, leaving no blind spots.

"What exactly happened?"

"Which family is the girl from?"

"How is this related to the University of Sages?"

The hushed discussions among the students and their families spread like ripples throughout the lobby.

“El…”

Helen clung tightly to Erdin, her hands gripping the purple cashmere shawl Erdin had draped over his shoulders.

She lifted her face, which was dotted with a few light freckles.

Do you know what happened?

Aldine stood there, looking exceptionally tall and elegant in the center of the lobby.

Her long, jet-black hair was loosely tied back with a pearl hairpin, with a few stray strands falling down her neck.

A deep purple velvet coat was casually draped over the bathrobe, the buttons undone.

She remained as composed as ever, the only person in the entire hotel who seemed unhurried.

Unlike other noble ladies who looked around, she wore a gentle and restrained smile.

"fine."

She gently patted Helen's hand.

"It has nothing to do with us."

Then, she turned her head slightly and whispered to Karp beside her.

"Get ready."

"We're going to the police station."

Karp was taken aback.

"So late?"

As they were talking, the brass revolving door in the lobby was pushed open from the outside, and a gust of cold wind blew in, carrying the mixed smell of coal smoke and horse manure from the street outside.

A middle-aged man wearing a dark blue police uniform with two silver stars on his epaulets was the first to step across the threshold.

That was the deputy chief of the New Haven Police Department.

Behind him followed a group of well-built subordinates, their leather boots striking the ground in a synchronized rhythm.

As soon as the deputy director stepped into the hotel lobby, he immediately assigned personnel to gather the girls who were still crying violently together, cover their faces with blankets, and take them to a small, temporarily emptied living room next door.

He then walked to the center of the lobby, took out a neatly folded document from the inside pocket of his jacket, and unfolded it.

The entire hall fell silent the moment he unfolded the document.

The deputy director's voice was clear, steady, and devoid of any emotion.

"Based on our preliminary investigation!"

"Your student, Bot Alcott, has long been secretly engaged in evil and despicable acts."

"They controlled, coerced, and enslaved many young female students through special means."

"Today, Bot Alcott and his gang have paid the price for their sins."

"These girls who were just rescued will serve as important witnesses in this case."

He held up the document in his hand: "This is an assistance order issued by the New Haven Police Department."

The person in charge of this trip for Sage University is the rigid Dean of Academic Affairs who handled the bullying fight between Evan and LeBon last time.

Director Smith.

Smith, who had hurriedly put on his shirt and rushed downstairs, frowned as he took the investigation order.

He took out his pince-nez glasses from his vest pocket, put them on his nose, and carefully read the document from beginning to end twice.

"Is there some misunderstanding?"

The deputy director calmly shook his head.

"No."

"The situation has been investigated."

His gaze passed over Smith and landed on the young woman in the center of the lobby, who was wearing a deep purple velvet coat.

Miss Hearst!

The deputy director's tone immediately became more respectful.

"We hope you can come with us and cooperate with the investigation."

"The reason why this dirty and evil case was solved so quickly..."

He paused.

"Thanks to one of your security personnel."

"He was ambushed by the enemy by a twist of fate."

"With his intelligence and physical strength, he overthrew the entire criminal gang."

The moment the deputy director finished speaking, the heavy brass revolving door at the entrance of the lobby was pushed in from the outside once again.

Leading the way were two New Haven police officers in dark uniforms.

Closely following behind them was a tall, slender young man.

He was wearing a three-piece suit that should have looked quite respectable, but now the cuffs, trouser seams, and underarms of his vest were all torn, and a tattered piece of cloth was hanging from his belt.

It seems like they were engaged in a fierce battle with someone.

But unlike his clothes, his face had an overly healthy, rosy glow, as if he had just eaten a full meal.

All eyes in the entire hall fell on him.

As he walked, Evan wiped the corner of his mouth with his hand.

He let out a wail as he pulled at the group of noblemen in the center of the hall who had just been dragged down the stairs by the storm.

"Miss!"

"I've finally met you!!"

Seeing Ivan rushing towards her in a disheveled state, Mrs. Victor instinctively stepped aside to shield Erdin.

The hand wearing a white glove had just been raised halfway when it was pressed down by a cool hand from behind.

"teacher."

Ertin's voice wasn't loud, but it made Mrs. Victor's shoulders tremble slightly.

"Now is not the time for formalities."

Mrs. Victor turned around.

She saw something she rarely saw on that face that was usually only dignified and gentle.

Deep and calm, like water at the bottom of a deep well.

She silently took a half step back, hiding herself in the shadows beside Ertin.

She had seen her young mistress's formal side before, which made her unable to look directly into those eyes.

Garp stepped forward and stretched out his arms to catch Ivan, who was about to fall to the ground.

“Arkham. Speak slowly.”

His voice was low, and every word carried the composure characteristic of an old bodyguard.

"What happened?"

At this moment, Ertin also came over. Unlike the other ladies, she didn't cover her mouth or step back. She simply stood two steps in front of Evan.

"Arkham".

Her voice carried the soothing rhythm that belonged to a noble lady, honed over many years.

"I'm here. Don't be afraid."

"Tell everyone what happened."

Ivan wiped his face.

The moment that face, covered in snot and tears, was lifted, the entire hall fell silent.

He began his story with his chance encounter with Albert at the train station.

It tells the story of how the former "big brother" cried in front of him about the two years he had been exploited, and how he was half-forced and half-dragged out of the hotel and wandered aimlessly on the street.

Let's talk about that old man at the tea stall who wore a dirty baseball cap...

When Dennis pulls out his gun, Thomson swings his spiked oak bat, and Alcott emerges menacingly from behind a broken window in an abandoned factory.

A pause in the breathing in the hall, and several noble ladies covered their mouths. The pearl bracelets on their wrists jingled softly against their knuckles.

Standing at the edge of the crowd was Morales, the good student who had been secretly observing whether Ivan was some kind of "pretty boy".

At this moment, he revealed an expression that said, "I knew it."

"I knew those guys were no good."

He crossed his arms and tilted his chin forward.

His gaze then fell back on Ivan, and the expression on his face became quite subtle.

"But why... do they always target Arkham?"

He muttered to himself.

"This guy has no money and no status. If you don't like him, why not just beat him up? Instead, he went and specially brewed a sedative tea..."