Originally, Rocco had come expecting to pay his respects to a few important figures. He hadn’t expected... He let out a bitter laugh. Even if he hadn’t come, would he really have been able to escape this? Noticing that all eyes had turned to Rocco, Arthur quickly stepped in. “Please don’t get the wrong idea, professors. The reason I was bullied for so long was entirely due to the Gray family’s influence, along with the former teachers and principal at South High. But once I started reporting it to the police, the case was escalated to the education bureau. They acted quickly, removing the previous principal and teachers and bringing in new ones. From that moment on, the bullying stopped for good.” Arthur’s words were clear and precise. To Rocco, they were like music to his ears. Rocco looked at Arthur, feeling a mix of gratitude, guilt, and self-reproach. His voice involuntarily carried a trace of emotion. “Arthur...” Even in a moment like this, the boy was standing up for him. Rocco knew all too well how much Arthur’s words meant for him—how incredibly crucial they were. To put it bluntly, Arthur had just pulled him back from the brink of death. Even though Rocco might no longer be able to keep his position as the director of South City’s education bureau due to his oversight, Arthur had at least given him a sliver of hope to survive this ordeal. After hearing Arthur’s explanation, Hugo and the others finally shifted their gazes away from Rocco. They didn’t say much, but their attitude toward him had noticeably softened. Rocco exhaled sharply. In just a few seconds, he had felt as though he had walked right up to death’s door and narrowly escaped. Arthur, seeing that the intense hostility toward Rocco had faded, also breathed a sigh of relief. He was grateful to Rocco. Back when he had been reborn and found himself once again at the mercy of Xavier and his gang, it was Rocco’s swift decisions—replacing the principal and teachers—that had granted him two years of peace. Arthur had always been someone who distinguished between kindness and grudges. For those who had helped him, he would never seek to harm them. He couldn’t help but feel a bit frustrated with himself for not being more cautious. But then again, he realized that they would have found out sooner or later. Rather than waiting for them to come after Rocco with full force later, it was better for him to bring it up now and defuse the situation. That way, Rocco would suffer the least damage possible.The influential figures before him were not people he could easily sway. Rocco understood this as well and shot Arthur a look filled with gratitude. Arthur continued, “I may have escaped bullying, but I know that in Lioran, there are still so many kids suffering just like I did—hidden away, enduring unspeakable torment.” His voice grew stronger, almost trembling with intensity. “And those bullies! Because they’re minors, they’re protected under juvenile law! They roam free without consequences! Completely unchecked!” By the time he finished speaking, his eyes were burning red with fury, his entire being consumed by anger. Everyone present felt a collective jolt. To think that, in places they had never even considered, such darkness thrived unnoticed. The room fell into heavy silence. They were titans in the field of education, dedicating their lives to academic excellence. But never had they truly considered how many hidden instances of bullying lurked in the very foundations of the system they upheld. Even within their own prestigious institutions, who could say with certainty that it wasn’t happening right under their noses? It wasn’t that it didn’t exist—it was that, at their level, they simply couldn’t see it. Amidst the silence, Rowan’s eyes suddenly turned red. Sitting beside her, Sebastian was the first to notice her change in demeanor. “Ms. Rowan?” Rowan was no ordinary woman. She was sharp-tongued and unpredictable, never one to back down. Anyone who dared offend her would face her wrath without mercy. If she had been affected by Arthur’s words, it wasn’t in the way an ordinary woman might be—by breaking down in sorrow. Noticing Sebastian’s concern, the others also turned to look at her. Her eyes had turned misty, as if she was desperately trying to suppress something. Ashley, worried, asked, “Ms. Rowan, are you all right?” Rowan didn’t respond right away. She lowered her gaze and remained silent for a long moment before finally managing to regain control of her emotions. Taking a deep breath, she seemed to come to a decision. Then, she spoke the words that left everyone in the room utterly shocked.“Arthur is right. We don’t know how many cases of bullying are happening in the shadows, unseen by the world. And I... I was one of those victims!” Her last sentence was spoken with immense force, as if she had summoned every ounce of her strength just to get it out.