CHAPTER 181: THE GLAMOROUS REINFORCEMENT

Rina, Karen, and Dila were still standing outside, tangled in a frustrating argument with the police officers who refused to let them in.

That was until a sudden commotion drew everyone’s attention.

A procession of people arrived—each step of their approach exuded an overwhelming, suffocating authority.

The three girls and all the officers present instantly froze, their words caught in their throats, their expressions tightening under the heavy aura those figures carried.

Leading the group was a graceful woman whose every movement demanded respect. Without even glancing at those around her, she advanced directly toward the lobby, her entourage following closely behind.

"That’s... her," Dila muttered, her tone trembling in disbelief.

"Why... why are they here?" Rina whispered, her brows furrowing.

Karen’s mouth hung open; she recognized them too, yet her mind went blank, unsure of how to even react.

Another woman, who had been standing slightly behind the elegant leader, stepped forward and began questioning the officers on duty with composed precision.

Without hesitation, the police—clearly intimidated—allowed the entire group to pass.

Rina managed to catch fragments of their conversation. It was enough to make her heart race. They were heading straight for the room where Al was being interrogated.

"Hey... you two heard that, right? They’re going to Al’s room," she whispered quickly.

Both Karen and Dila nodded. Their eyes met briefly, and in that silent exchange, a reckless plan was formed.

As the officers’ attention shifted toward accommodating the newcomers, the three girls quietly slipped into the crowd, blending in with the entourage before anyone could notice.

Once the distinguished group had entered and their bodyguards stationed themselves in the waiting area, the police at the lobby finally relaxed a little.

When they turned their heads to reassess the lobby—Rina, Dila, and Karen were gone.

Some officers looked around in confusion, trying to recall if they had seen the girls leave. Others nervously speculated that they might have followed the group inside.

Two policemen decided to check just in case, muttering that they should ensure those kids aren’t doing anything stupid.

---

Meanwhile, inside the interrogation room, the air was thick with tension—dominated by the sneers of arrogant men in suits: elite fathers, the principal, and the police chief himself.

They wore confident smirks, already envisioning the outcome they desired.

In their minds, Al would soon be escorted to a holding cell, and once that happened, they could freely dictate his fate as they pleased.

Al, however, sat there lazily, leaning back in his chair as if none of it mattered.

"You hear that, right? It’s getting noisy outside. They don’t usually make such a fuss unless something big’s happening," he said in his usual calm, unbothered tone.

Sebastian remained composed as well, offering a subtle nod. He already knew what Al meant when he mentioned ’reinforcements.’ All that remained was to see who would show up.

Just then, a police officer hurried into the room, leaning close to whisper something into the police chief’s ear.

The man’s eyes widened, his face paling as he immediately rushed toward the door.

But before he could even touch the handle, the door swung open on its own.

A woman in an elegant uniform entered first, her presence exuding unwavering authority.

She didn’t utter a single word—simply stood to the side, creating a path for the one who followed.

And then she appeared.

A woman whose very demeanor could silence an entire room. Graceful yet commanding, her gaze alone was enough to make every officer instinctively straighten their posture.

Sebastian’s lips curved slightly as he turned toward the doorway, finally understanding who Al’s ’reinforcement’ was.

Al didn’t bother to turn his head. Instead, he murmured lazily,

"I didn’t expect them to show up this glamorous."

That was when Aiza Hiruzen stepped in.

With steps as poised as they were resolute, and eyes that reflected the confidence of someone who knew her own power, Ai entered the interrogation room.

Following closely behind her was her female assistant, Reina.

Her other aide, Hans, had chosen to remain outside, stationed near the parking area with the rest of the bodyguards who maintained a tight perimeter around the building.

Inside, Al and Sebastian shared a faint, knowing smile. They both understood—whatever dull human politics this was, it was about to end.

Politics would be answered by politics.

A few faces outside the room caught Al’s attention as well, though he didn’t make it obvious.

Since both he and Sebastian were suppressing their magical detection to avoid unnecessary attention, neither could sense the full presence of those who had arrived.

Before the door closed, Al’s eyes briefly caught sight of Rina, Dila, and even Karen sneaking among the entourage.

They looked anxious, curious, desperate to confirm that Al was safe. Yet, they knew that was as far as they could go.

Rina and Karen’s eyes met Al’s for a fleeting second before the door shut completely.

To Al, their faces were a mix of worry and guilt.

To them, Al’s face looked far too relaxed for someone supposedly in deep trouble.

They could only whisper his name softly as the door closed again.

"Why does he always look so calm, even in a situation like this? Is that some kind of disease?" Rina muttered, half annoyed.

"Heh... yeah, maybe it is," Dila agreed with a small nod.

"Is he... always like that?" Karen asked, being the only one who didn’t know Al too well.

"Honestly? Who knows," Rina sighed. "What we should be thinking about right now is whether he’s actually safe in there."

"Mr. Sebastian’s definitely on Al’s side. But Miss Aiza? I’m not so sure. If even she and those elite fathers are involved, this must be serious," Dila explained, rubbing her chin in thought.

"But still... even if I don’t have solid evidence, I’m sure this is all because of Jogo and Rudi. Which means—Al can’t be the one at fault," she added confidently.

Rina and Karen both nodded. Their intuition told them the same thing. There was no way a scholarship student like Al would ever start a fight with two of the most influential families in Makazhar.

"I think I should call Idham. Maybe he knows something," Dila muttered, already considering backup plans.

Rina opened her mouth to reply—but before she could, two police officers approached and immediately escorted the three girls out.

Or rather, kicked them out.

They could only comply reluctantly. At least now, they knew where Al was and had caught a brief glimpse of his situation.

And so, with heavy hearts and reluctant steps, the three girls followed the officers out of the building, unsure of what was happening behind that closed door.

---

Meanwhile, inside the room—

Other than Darius, who had personal issues with Ai, and Kugo, who had no particular relationship with her, the other men in the room stood up in a fluster, instantly straightening themselves to greet her.

Especially the school principal and Lefon.

Despite whatever personal matters they had, both Kugo and Darius still offered a polite nod. Kugo, in particular, recognized Ai immediately, as he had attended the Tamarvich family’s welcoming banquet where she was present.

They all knew who Ai was—or rather, as they were more familiar in calling her: Miss Aiza.

Even the head of the local police department, a man used to rubbing shoulders with the elite, found the name Aiza Hiruzen more than recognizable. Especially ever since her arrival in Indorosia, her prominence had only grown.

But what they didn’t understand was why Ai had appeared here, in this place, when none of them had even informed the Alasia Group about this incident.

It was a case they themselves never thought would escalate to the point of police investigation.

Why is Miss Aiza here? Lefon thought in alarm. I’m sure no one contacted Alasia about this. If things keep going like this, my plan could completely fall apart.

Miss Aiza... here? Don’t tell me it was Al or Mr. Sebastian who tipped them off... What should I do now? The principal’s thoughts were in chaos.

"Miss Aiza, what brings you here?" the principal asked, bowing slightly in a show of respect.

"Yes, Miss..." Lefon added, trying to sound courteous. "Do you have business with us? Why didn’t you contact me directly?"

Ai didn’t even spare them a glance. Her steps were calm, deliberate, yet cuttingly cold as she walked straight toward Al.

"I don’t need to inform you if I just feel like dropping by, do I?" Ai said sharply. Her tone was flat—emotionless, impossible to read.

She stopped beside Al, who was sitting leisurely as always.

Sebastian, fully aware of his role, immediately stood and pulled out the seat next to Al.

Ai looked momentarily awkward at his exaggerated politeness, but she didn’t refuse. She simply nodded and sat down beside Al. Reina, meanwhile, sat beside Ai.

Now, Al and Ai were sandwiched between Reina and Sebastian—like a king and queen flanked by two unwavering generals.

"You finally came," Al murmured casually, almost under his breath.

It was meant to be quiet—something only the two of them would hear. Unfortunately, in the silence that filled the room, everyone did.

The tension that followed was suffocating. Even the faint sound of the air conditioner seemed loud.

The police chief, the principal, and the gathered upper-class fathers all looked visibly uneasy. That casual remark—from a mere scholarship student to someone of Aiza Hiruzen’s stature—was utterly incomprehensible.

Yet the weight of Ai’s presence kept them frozen in place, trying to digest the surreal sight before them.

The rhythmic ticking of the wall clock echoed like thunder in their chests. Each second seemed to tighten the pressure in the room.

The reason behind Aiza Hiruzen’s presence was still unclear, but one thing was certain—her arrival was an obstacle none of them were prepared to face.

No wonder I had a bad feeling about this... Darius thought grimly. This is a card I have no idea how to counter.

Out of all possible counterattacks Al could have pulled, this was the one Darius never saw coming—and it was the worst possible one to deal with in this situation.

Al, meanwhile, had long since grown bored of watching their strained, nervous expressions. His attention had already shifted to something far more interesting—the pretty girl sitting beside him.

Sebastian and Reina exchanged faint chuckles, while Ai’s cheeks reddened slightly despite her stern front.

Anger still simmered within her toward those who dared to toy with her master, but Al’s unbothered demeanor somehow soothed it.

And the tension inside the room was not much different from the chaos unfolding outside.

---

"What?" Yura’s eyes widened slightly. "Did you say Miss Aiza?"

Moments earlier, Rina, Karen, and Dila had been escorted out by the police. On their way out, they ran into Yura and Devy, who had decided to step in and take over.

After hearing Rina’s full account—along with all their theories and speculations—Yura and Devy agreed to hold back for now, observing first before deciding whether to confront the police head-on or resort to more extreme measures.

"So, it’s still unclear whose side Miss Aiza is on?" Devy asked.

Dila nodded.

"Technically, we have no idea. We also don’t know what that calm face of Al’s really means, since... well, his face always looks lazy and relaxed anyway. But my gut says he’ll be fine."

"You really believe that?" Yura asked.

Rina and Dila nodded in unison. Despite their worry, there was confidence in their eyes. Somehow, Al always found a way to slip out of trouble—and it felt like this time would be no different.

Yura gazed at the police station building, her eyes sharp, burning with determination. The boy she cared about was inside, possibly in danger, and his fate was still unknown.

Rina, Dila, and Karen all watched her quietly. Though none of them said it aloud, a thought crossed their minds almost simultaneously.

Perhaps Yura’s suggestion about ’pretending to date Al’ wasn’t entirely an act after all. The worry, the resolve, and the barely concealed desire to protect him—those emotions were far too genuine.

Even if they still needed confirmation, one thing was clear—they would support her, no matter what, even if Yura truly fell for Al.

Devy also looked at Yura, noticing that same unwavering gaze, and could only smile softly.

Yeah... you have to fight for it, she thought.

I just hope that, in the end, the two of you can truly be together. Whether or not I’ll still be by your side doesn’t matter—because if someone like Al becomes part of your life, then I know you’ll be just fine.

Unfortunately, none of them—neither Devy, Rina, Dila, Karen, nor Yura herself—realized that the very woman they were discussing, Miss Aiza, was destined to become the greatest obstacle in Yura’s fight for love.

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