Chapter Thirty-Nine: Destiny Guarantees You (Bonus: 20,000 Nutrient Drops)

Elias was already prepared.

This did not mean he was thorough; rather, he was so desperate to hand these two children over to the school and reclaim his pleasant, bachelor-style peace from Monday to Friday. If the school ended up refusing them because of some issue on his end, he would surely curse himself before falling asleep: "I was such an idiot back then!"

Thus, no matter what Black Lightning asked for, Elias was incredibly cooperative.

However, the more cooperative he became, the more nervous Black Lightning grew. He felt that the scene before him was like a supervillain executing a sinister plot, or perhaps a parent who, having successfully offloaded two massive burdens, beamed with relief and told him, "I leave everything to you, Teacher."

What a battlefield work can be!

Yet, no matter how reluctant he felt, there was no room for evasion in the adult world. Black Lightning still conscientiously evaluated Ophelia’s situation. After pondering her severely lopsided grades for a moment, he spoke frankly to Elias:

"If we only look at these subjects, she could easily attend the seventh grade. Even if she couldn't keep up at first, with her level of intellect, she would catch up in a semester or two. But I suspect we are not discussing an ordinary eleven-year-old girl."

He paused, then looked directly at Ophelia, his tone softening into something approaching praise and encouragement: "She has extraordinary talent and is very intelligent; she will surely bring change to this world. I also believe she can make friends at this school... The only problem is that other children do not possess superpowers as unique as hers."

"Are you sure you want Ophelia to attend Garfield High School, Mr. Esposito? She might receive a more suitable education elsewhere."

Elias asked, "For example?"

"The X-Mansion," Black Lightning said. "Its full name is 'Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters.' I’m not sure if you’ve heard of it—it’s a mutant school in New York. They teach students general curriculum, but they also teach them how to control their powers."

His intentions were good, and he was merely offering a suggestion rather than refusing her admission. However, upon hearing this, Ophelia’s eyes widened instantly as she shouted:

"I don't want to go to that New—New-York! Don't you dare send me away!!"

Black Lightning was taken aback. "Hm? You might have misunderstood. Professor X is a very good man, and he is the most powerful mutant in the world..."

"I don't want to go! I don't want to go! Father!!" Ophelia grabbed Elias’s hand tightly, her voice growing sharper. Her blue eyes were wide, almost ferociously so, though no tears fell. "I like Metropolis! Let me stay at home, Papa, Papa!!"

Her words were filled with pleading, making her seem pitiful, yet while no one was looking, she viciously kicked Black Lightning in the shin. Elias pulled her back just in time, but her toe still made solid contact with the principal of Garfield High.

"It’s fine, it’s fine." Black Lightning waved his hand repeatedly before Elias could apologize. "I’m alright."

"Ophelia!"

Elias called her name. "Calm down! Listen, I have no intention of sending you anywhere."

His words had some effect; Ophelia’s aggression lessened, though she still glared at Black Lightning with hatred.

Black Lightning offered a bitter smile. "This is... sigh, I understand." It was clearly an unconventional situation involving supernatural forces. "Mr. Esposito, could you give me your contact information? Ophelia can enroll, but we still need to discuss the details."

Sensing he was being dismissed, Kael’s spirits lifted. "So, can we go now?"

Black Lightning flashed him a benevolent smile. "Ophelia and her father can leave. Kael, you stay behind and finish today’s lessons."

"...What??" Kael demanded. "Isn't Ophelia’s father my father too? I want to leave with him!"

"Too late, your father has handed you over to me." The principal looked at him with the same kindness. "If you aren't sitting in the classroom in ten minutes, I will electrify the school’s electronic gates and fences."

As he spoke, sparks of electricity crackled across his skin.

If anyone skipped class, they’d be fried.

The superhero codename "Black Lightning" wasn't just for show!

Under Elias’s gaze, Kael struggled in vain. "You can’t do this!"

"I can," Black Lightning said. "If you aren't satisfied, go call the police, or I can call the Justice League to adjudicate."

We’ll see then if the police and the superheroes arrest you or me.

"..."

Who could have guessed that a dignified leader of the International Gang would not end up in prison, but in school?

**

Having successfully resolved one burden, Elias felt his worries ease, and his mood improved significantly on the way home. He had exchanged contact information with Black Lightning, but before discussing things further with him, Elias needed to ask Ophelia about her thoughts.

"I thought you were prepared for school," he said calmly. "Regardless, you shouldn't have attacked the principal under those circumstances."

Ophelia’s eyes reddened.

"Crying at a time like this is rather impolite," Elias reminded her. "Others will think I’m scolding you severely, and then concerned citizens will call the police. Once the police investigate and find out I’m not qualified to adopt you, you’ll have to live somewhere else."

Ophelia’s eyes immediately returned to their normal color, and her face went pale.

...What impressive self-control!!

"Papa, don't believe the principal," Ophelia whispered, following Elias closely. "I’ve heard of the X-Mansion; it’s not a good place."

Elias frowned imperceptibly. He didn't know much about the legendary mutant school or Professor X, but he knew Superman, and he understood the heroes who worked alongside him. If the X-Mansion were truly a terrible school, or worse—a mutant laboratory disguised as a school—Black Lightning would never have recommended it to a student’s parent so easily.

Black Lightning must truly believe he knows Professor X and his school to think Ophelia should make her first attempt at social adaptation there.

So, was his judgment wrong, or was Ophelia lying?

Another point of doubt was that Elias had previously assumed Ophelia came from the pre-Industrial Revolution era, which explained her ignorance of modern technology. The Industrial Revolution began around 1760, and the United States was founded in 1776; that was why Ophelia had mispronounced the city Black Lightning mentioned, calling it "New-York" incorrectly.

New York wasn't called New York in her time, and she didn't even know this international metropolis, yet she claimed to have heard of the X-Mansion?

The founder of the X-Mansion was Professor X. Although Professor X was a powerful telepath, he was ultimately human. How could he have lived from the early 18th century to the present, surviving for over two hundred years without dying!

Elias asked her, "Where did you hear about the X-Mansion?"

"...From my family in the past, and my friends," Ophelia whispered. "My family thought I was an evil 'witch,' so they contacted the X-Mansion to come and take me away. I heard that 'wizards' who fell into their hands would be sent to the gallows or burned alive. I also had a friend who escaped from the X-Mansion..."

She shivered and said intermittently, "She said it was a hellish place."

So there was even a witness.

Elias’s brows knit tighter. "What happened to your friend later?"

"I don't know," Ophelia said. "I was afraid of being captured, so I took the chance to run away from home. A group of people were chasing me, and I’m not sure if they were from the X-Mansion, because I met you before they could catch me, Papa."

It was much like the scene depicted in the comic book Kael had seen.

Ophelia had met Elias in the middle of the wilderness on a night with a full moon.

The endless grasslands, the dark yellow moon hanging in the pitch-black night sky, the red-haired girl in tattered clothes, and the stranger in a robe, walking alone while carrying a lantern of fireflies.

This painting-like scene formed Ophelia’s deepest impression of her first meeting with Elias.

She had been exhausted and terrified, her spirit stretched to the limit, but she still remembered that moment: Elias saw her, pulled back his hood, and revealed a face that bore a seventy-percent resemblance to her own:

"Child...? Why is there a human child here? Forget it, there's no time, you must come with me."

Before she could respond, the man grabbed her wrist without question. Ophelia only felt a blur, and she had already escaped her pursuers and appeared in Metropolis.

The memory of the past made the current Ophelia even more panicked. "I thought we were in a new world where no one hunts witches and there are no schools that kill students... But was I wrong, Papa? Are we actually still in the same place? Will those people who hunted me appear before us again someday?"

"No, they won't. Don't overthink it, Philly."

To make his words more convincing, Elias placed his hand on the girl’s shoulder. "You won't encounter any danger at school."

Ophelia trembled slightly and asked in a murmur, "Does Fate... does Fate guarantee it for me?"

She looked at Elias with hope. Elias paused for a second, his fingertips gripping the cover of the Book of Fate which had appeared out of thin air, and said in a deep voice, "Yes, Philly. Fate guarantees it for you."

...

"Thank you, Papa." Ophelia lowered her head, kicking a pebble along the road in front of them. "I also promise that at school, I will never attack a teacher or classmate without reason."

Elias: ...

Well, thank you for that!

Since he had confirmed with the party involved that she would attend Garfield High School, Elias sent the electronic copies of the required documents to Black Lightning and decided to give Ophelia an extra lesson every night:

Learning the language of the Book of Fate.

In addition, he handed another Yellow Power Ring filled with energy to Ophelia, instructing her that she should only use it in the most critical, last-resort situations.

"After you wear it, I can communicate with you remotely and track your general location," Elias said. "However, this ring will both provoke fear in others and stir up the weakness within your own heart, attempting to control you. Do not use it lightly until you are certain you can suppress its power."

Ophelia promised solemnly.

And so, while her relationship with her "father" made rapid progress, the weapon carried by his inexpensive daughter was finally upgraded from a kitchen knife to a Yellow Power Ring. How joyous—she had a budding tendency to become a villainous boss at such a young age!