Matthews's gaze flicked between Ace and Sonia before her left hand shot out, cupping Ace's crotch with a grip that promised to turn it into meat mush.
Ace's breath hitched before he howled at the top of his lungs, "I swear I didn't lie! That bitch just has it out for me—Ahhh!"
Matthews tightened her grip, her voice calm but firm, "Language. She's a C.I.B. trainee. That makes her superior to you an unregistered curse user."
Ace sucked in a sharp breath, his hands hovering near her wrist but not quite daring to pry her off. "I thought I was a trainee too," he gasped, abandoning all pride and plans in a desperate attempt to save his family jewels.
Then, to his horror, he noticed little Ace twitching—swelling with excitement. Oh, hell no. His mind reeled, swearing up and down that he wasn't some kind of masochist. It had to be Janice's attack. That damn emerald ring curse tool had messed him up, making little Ace act on its own. Damn curse tools.
"That was before. Also, I thought you were not—" Matthews paused and scoffed, feeling the growth. Then she let go, wiping her hand on her coat like she'd touched something filthy. "Disgusting," she sharply remarked, eyeing him with thinly veiled contempt. What the hell did my daughter even see in this perverted loser?
Well… she had to admit he was capable. Not every day you see a Mortal-tier curse master blow the head off a Sky-tier one. Even if the intruder had mistaken him for a mere mortal, the gap between Sky-tier and Mortal-tier was enormous—something no amount of skill or experience should have been able to bridge. And yet, he'd done it.
Ace exhaled in relief, smirking as the pain finally subsided. "Still not interested. I prefer working alone."
Matthews studied him, unimpressed. Cocky little bastard. But at least he wasn't entirely useless. She'd let him live—for now. But the fact that she still had nothing concrete on him made her nostrils flare. Ace noticed it and was alarmed. Before she could resort to more drastic measures, he blurted out, "I only became a curse master recently! It's impossible for me to have joined a gang or guild already!"
Sonia folded her arms, her eyes narrowing with suspicion. "How is that possible? How did you manage to become a curse master without any help?" She leaned in slightly, watching him like a predator waiting for a slip-up. "Also," she continued, voice laced with certainty, "I clearly remember you hanging around with a curse master cos playing as Emi Nakamura. You two were obviously in cahoots."
She was determined to expose him, to prove that she wouldn't forgo her duties out of personal vendetta and wasn't the liar in this situation—that Ace was the one spouting nothing but bullshit.
Matthews exhaled slowly, her patience thinning. "My patience is waning, Ace." Her voice was calm, but there was an unmistakable edge to it.
The only reason she hadn't taken a more… persuasive approach was that she actually liked the kid. He had a way of operating that she respected—decisive yet cautious. She wanted him. Not as a test subject, but as an agent. She could mold him into another Jason or Layla.
That was the only reason he still had both testicles. Because if she truly wanted answers, she knew exactly how to make a man sing.
Ace sighed, knowing that with Sonia here, he wouldn't be able to spin this in his favor without giving up at least some truth. Left with little choice, he began, "Do you remember the incident where a curse initiation array formation was found on Principal Martins's school rooftop?"
Matthews frowned, her arms crossing tightly over her chest as she signaled him to continue, "Yes. What about it?"
That incident had been linked to the S.S.S.—the worst of the worst in the World of Curses. If Ace had anything to do with them, his future was as good as dead.
Ace hesitated, then exhaled. "That curse array formation… was how I became a curse master."
He said it with a heavy heart, subtly watching Sonia's reaction from the corner of his eye. Damn it. Her presence made it harder for him to craft a story that painted him in a better light. Well. The truth was good enough but he didn't plan to reveal everything. As long as the C.I.B. remained unaware of his true prowess, he could still move in the shadows—prepare for the unknown and those scheming against him accordingly.
"How is that possible? Don't you live in my in-laws's town? That's three hours from the city where my husband's school is," Matthews' expression darkened as she took a step closer, reaching for Ace's wrist. Only she knew what she intended to do—but just before she could, Sonia's voice cut through the tension, "He's not lying."
Matthews froze mid-motion, then snapped her head toward Sonia. "What?" Her shock quickly turned to frustration as she remarked, "We need to get your curseling tested."
Sonia, unfazed, folded her arms and defended her curseling partner, "No. There's nothing wrong with Scratchifer's instincts. Let's hear him out first."
Her tone made it clear—she wasn't about to let her personal issues with Ace interfere with her duty as a C.I.B. agent. Besides, she had to be smart. She couldn't do anything to Ace right now, so she might as well score some favor with Matthews. That could be useful down the line.
Then, another voice spoke up.
"Ace just transferred to our school," Lola said, stepping forward. "He's only been to the school for two days. At most."
Matthews narrowed her eyes, considering this. Slowly, she exhaled, her stance relaxing just a fraction.
"Is that so?" she muttered, then turned her piercing gaze back to Ace. "Tell me everything. Don't leave out a single detail—because that incident was linked to some very high-profile curse criminals."
"High-profile curse criminals?" Delores asked, her brow furrowing. "Someone I know?"
No matter what, Ace was her benefactor. When the time came, she planned to repay that debt—no matter the cost.
Matthews' expression remained unreadable as she answered, "The S.S.S." Causing silence to take over the room.
Janice, Sonia, and Delores all stiffened, their eyes widening in shock. Then, almost in unison, their gazes snapped to Ace, filled with a mix of wariness and disbelief.
The S.S.S. was no ordinary criminal organization. Their reputation preceded them. They were a menace to both worlds.
However, Ace felt otherwise.