Going after them unnoticed wasn't too difficult. They didn't pay attention to anyone other than each other.

Cedric moved forward with a determined expression, never letting Leo out of his sight.

"They are so passionate."

Eventually Leo made a turn into a secluded alley.

Not wanting to get caught by them, Cyril stopped before the turn and leaned on the grey stone wall, wanting to rely on his enhanced hearing to listen in on what's happening there.

The first thing that caught his ears was the heated voice of Cedric.

"I never expected you to go this low, Leo. Where did you take Anna?" 

Next came a mocking laughter from Leo.

"...As long as you do what I told you, you'll get to see her safe and sound." He said with an obvious tone of joy in his voice.

"You kidnapped a person just to make me drop out of the academy? Are you insane!?" Cedric's voice loudly rang out in the alley.

"It's a kidnapping! How interesting!" Not needing to hide, Rhamn stood in the open nearby, though she couldn't see what was happening.

After a pause she turned toward Morpho sitting on Cyril's shoulder, "Can you fly there and relay to us what you see?"

With an affirmative twitch of her antennae, the butterfly flew up and moved inside the alley, making circles in place.

A red butterfly was rather noticeable within the grey of the streets, but it didn't seem like the two students paid her any attention.

At this moment, someone could be heard making a step forward, followed by an immediate reaction.

"Stay where you are, bastard! Unless you want to say goodbye to your dear friend." Leo exclaimed, his voice shaking a little, "I've said what I wanted. Do you accept?"

Cedric's voice couldn't be heard in return.

"He is staying silent with his head hung low." Rhamn relayed what Morpho told her.

There was more laughter. "Not so tough now, are you? It's time you learned your place in society!" Leo gloatingly said.

Then, more footsteps sounded, "Leo is now circling around Cedric. There is a spring to his step~"

What a coward. Cyril commented internally with a frown.

"You can always walk in on their little scene and beat him up." Rhamn proposed with her red eyes shining.

"As for Cedric's friend... it's not our concern anyways." She waved her hand in dismissal.

That would be too much, wouldn't it? If we interfere, we should at least have a way of dealing with the situation. 

Cyril shook his head as thought about what he could do.

Coming in unannounced to please your own selfish impulse and then leaving the mess to someone else doesn't seem like a noble thing to do.

Actually... maybe that's precisely what a noble would do? Cyril thought with some awkwardness.

In the meantime, the two students were silent, with Leo still walking in circles, fully enjoying the situation.

Suddenly, Rhamn's face turned surprised, "Just now Morpho told me she can help you find Cedric's friend!"

Really? How? Cyril snapped from his contemplation, staring a the circling red butterfly. 

Rhamn turned silent and tilted her head, as if listening to something.

She slowly started speaking. "Morpho has a strong sense of smell, magical even. She can pick up lingering mana from an item. If we give something Cedric's friend had to Morpho, she can definitely find her!"

Not bad and just in time, Cyril nodded with a slight smile on his face.

Let's see if it really works...

Coincidentally, at this moment Cedric and Leo finished talking and were now on their way to get out of the alley.

It seemed like Cedric agreed to the deal or at least pretended to.

"A butterfly?" Leo said in confusion as he finally noticed the insect.

Still a little unfamiliar with the world, Morpho didn't fly away but stayed in place, curiously observing this blond-haired and black-eyed student, whom Cyril seemed to dislike.

Leo, with a purpose in mind, quickly walked in front of the butterfly, and before anyone had the time to react, he caught the insect with his glove-wearing hand.

"This guy has a death wish!" Rhamn's eyes shone with hostility.

Leo, wearing a smirk, turned towards Cedric and showed him his hand. "Reminds me of you, a worthless bug in the palm of my hand."

Though he quickly frowned as the target of his ridicule wasn't paying attention, instead staring somewhere behind him.

"What are you even-" Once he turned around, his next words were stuck in his throat.

There, right in front of him, stood another classmate.

"Thorne? What are you doing here?" Leo stepped back in a startle. The butterfly broke free from his hand and flew out.

Flying a wobbly path, Morpho landed back on Cyril's shoulder.

Making sure of her safety, Cyril internally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Was that your pet?" Leo's eyes widened, though he quickly regained composure. 

"Pardon me, Thorne. I hope you won't take it close to heart." He bowed slightly.

"Look at this pathetic worm. Not even a sliver of remorse in his eyes." Rhamn scoffed.

She walked up to the bowing Leo, her eyes staring down at him with contempt.

"Well, even if he were truly remorseful, it wouldn't matter. Right, Cyril?" Her lips widened into a malicious smile.

"I am going to break your arm," Cyril said in a calm voice and made a step forward.

"What?" Leo first tilted his head with question marks in his eyes, then, realizing he hadn't misheard, he tried to move out of the way in a startle.

However, before he could succeed, Cyril lunged forward and hit him on the face. The impact threw Leo’s head, followed by his whole body, forward.

Before he could fall, Cyril grabbed his hand, keeping him in place.

"You...!" After recovering, Leo growled with shock, clutching his now bleeding nose with his other hand.

Without a single pause, Cyril fully utilized his enhanced strength and twisted the arm of this student in the direction it's not supposed to move.

An even higher-pitched scream erupted from Leo as he now dropped to the ground, rolling in pain.

Taking a prolonged look at his movements, Cyril sighed, then kicked the fallen student, sending him unconscious.

"He should be grateful that Morpho is fine. Otherwise, this wouldn't have ended so simply." Rhamn stared at Leo like one would at a piece of trash on the streets.

The butterfly fluttered her wings on Cyril's shoulder, perfectly healthy.

...

Cedric watched this with his jaw open and his hand stretched out.

He closed his eyes for a few seconds, and as he reopened them, there was a smile on his face.

"You shouldn't have done that- no, it's my fault. I was supposed to stop you, but I hesitated." Cedric interrupted himself and massaged his temple.

 "Thank you for your help. I'll deal with the rest somehow."

Saying this, Cedric crouched in front of the body, rummaging through the pockets.

"Since he said so, maybe we don't need to help after all?" Rhamn shrugged at the side.

Let's not be lazy here. And this is a good opportunity to test out Morpho's ability.

"I might be able to find your friend." Cyril calmly walked a few steps closer.

At these words Cedric practically leaped up to his feet. "Really!? Please, I'll be in your debt!" 

Cyril paused to marvel at how quickly this guy regained his spirits, then crossed his arms.

"I need an item that belonged to your friend, preferably something they carried often." 

Immediately Cedric loudly exclaimed "I have it! Here..."

He pulled out a torn piece of fabric "Leo gave this to me as proof of the kidnapping. It's from Anna's favorite sweater."

Cyril grabbed the item and held it out in his palm, letting Morpho land on it.

After a second, the butterfly with completely red wings flew up and motioned to follow after her.

"Let's go. She will lead us." Cyril nodded.

I wasn't sure what to do if it failed...

"Not our problem anyways," Rhamn shrugged without a care.

"The butterfly will? Okay." Cedric carefully said and slowly moved.

Cyril turned around and went to retrieve the shopping bags he left earlier. Just as he was about to start following Morpho, he noticed the distinct lack of footsteps behind him.

Cyril turned back only to discover Cedric standing before the collapsed Leo with a conflicted expression.

"What's the matter? You don't want to rescue your friend anymore?" Cyril lowered the bags back on the ground, on his face a frown.

Don't tell me...

"I know he is a jerk and all that, but we can't leave him like this," quietly said Cedric.

"What a good guy he is." 

Yeah... Cyril helplessly observed as Morpho landed back on his shoulder.