Chapter 76: Grudge
"You showed them how it’s done!" Winston patted Leonard on the back.
"The way you moved, it was like a Brawler, but better!" William was astonished. "Did you grow up in a martial arts family or something?!"
"I must admit, it was indeed spectacular to watch you beat Russell down like nothing." Harley crossed her arms thoughtfully.
Elizabeth’s icy gaze lingered on Leonard for a few seconds. She nodded in acknowledgment before averting her attention away.
"Let’s not forget that this was just a hand-to-hand duel. In a real battle, things might have gone differently." Leonard replied with a faint smile.
Meanwhile, Russell slowly limped towards the Elite grade.
"What are you staring at?! Heal me!" He demanded, his eyes piercing into Cassie.
"S—Sorry, I am not advanced enough to heal you. If I try, it will likely leave a mark." She apologized timidly.
"Tch! Useless!" Russell grumbled.
Samantha’s eyes narrowed in animosity.
"Mind your tongue when you speak to us, Healers! We aren’t your servants to be treated with such disrespect! Don’t forget, it’s up to our discretion whether we choose to heal you when you are in danger!"
Russell gritted his teeth and averted his eyes, with no way to respond.
"This is disastrous! Lose once to a lowly Commoner and now they dare bark back?! Just so you wait, Leonard. We might have survived the Void incident together, but don’t think for a second that I will ever accept you or your Common Bloodline!"
He began to leak out a hostile presence. Even if there was someone in the grade who could assist him, they weren’t brave enough to offer help. In the end, he was forced to wait for the assigned Healer to arrive and help him recover.
The lesson continued with other matches being held. Slowly, the humans and elves began to form bonds of camaraderie as they fought against one another.
One of the notable matches was Winston against William.
Although the latter held the advantage thanks to his Brawler class, Winston performed much better than expected.
Thanks to the fat around his body, most of William’s strikes were absorbed, lessening their impact.
Still, in the end, William managed to secure victory by tripping Winston and rolling him out of the ring like a ball before he could rise.
Another notable match was Harley’s duel. She was one of those who mustered the courage to face the elves.
Her opponent was Izabella, an elf on the shorter side with blonde hair and hazel eyes. She was nimble enough to overwhelm Harley and win, though both appreciated the duel.
The lesson concluded when everyone had fought in one battle. There was no time to hold rematches or for the scholars to fight more than once, since the first lesson was meant to be more of an introduction than anything else.
"While there is still much to be desired, you all held up better than expected." Professor Hartman nodded in recognition.
His bald head reflected the ceiling lights right into the scholars’ eyes, forcing them to squint.
"Next time, we will be holding duels simultaneously, so don’t be disappointed if today’s practice wasn’t up to your standards. Don’t forget that your primary reason for being here is to learn." He reminded them.
"We appreciate your words!" The scholars answered in unity.
By now, the humans and the elves stood next to each other, though they weren’t familiar enough to start mingling just yet.
"Don’t get used to my presence." Headmistress Jennifer said. "The only reason I observed this lesson was to ensure that you would be able to get along with one another. From the looks of it, I have accomplished my task, so I will be taking my leave."
She scanned the Elite grade for a few more seconds and left without another word.
"Next we have Magic and Mana Fundamentals, led by Professor Albert." Leonard read the schedule aloud.
He still remembered how strict Albert had been at the start of the entrance exam before things turned chaotic.
In all honesty, Leonard hoped that Albert taught a specialized course and that he wouldn’t have to deal with him again, but alas...
"Better make haste! Otherwise, he might lock the doors if we are a second late... Or worse, use us as a live demonstration for his spells!" Winston remarked, his voice shaking slightly.
"Relax, things won’t be that bad now that we have enrolled." Harley guessed.
"I am not willing to risk it!" William exclaimed.
"Then let’s go." Samantha said calmly.
"W—Wait for me!" Cassie sheepishly followed after them.
Most of the Elite grade had the same idea and headed to the lecture room.
Elizabeth was one of the few who walked alone. Most observed her from afar but were too intimidated by her presence to get close to her.
Gradually, she moved toward Leonard’s party.
"These moves surprised me back there." She admitted. "I didn’t know a Viking could move like that."
"Well... Thank you." Leonard replied, not expecting the compliment.
"Do you like elves?" She asked out of the blue.
Leonard blinked slowly, taken aback by the question.
"Um... I guess as much as humans? We aren’t that different in the grand scheme of things. Why?"
Elizabeth’s expression remained unreadable.
"You have been throwing glances at Princess Arabella for a while now."
"..."
’Crap. Have I really? I was just surprised that I saw her here again, but with so many people around us, I haven’t had the chance to speak to her.’ His mind raced, searching for a plausible explanation.
"I was just surprised that we would be with an elf princess... Though I will be more mindful of where I look from now on." He scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
Elizabeth’s eyes lingered for a few quiet seconds on him.
Her intentions remained unknown as she gazed forward.
Meanwhile, Russell, who was still seething with rage, was approached by upperclassmen. More specifically, the third years.
"Follow us." They said, leaving him with no chance to refuse.
Soon after, he found himself standing before Daniel, son of Royal Trade’s CEO and one of its most prominent heirs.
"Sir Russell, thank you for your time. We will keep it brief." Daniel spoke, his voice emotionless.
"After reading the report, I know that you are among the last people who saw my younger brother, Martin... The reports mentioned his disappearance, with him most likely being dead. What became of him?"
Under normal circumstances, Russell might have pretended not to know anything.
However, the humiliation he experienced because of Leonard was still fresh in his mind, and he saw it as the perfect time to get his revenge.
So, he told him everything. How Martin approached him to ask for his aid in killing Leonard, Winston, and Harley.
He also made sure to present things in such a light as to paint Leonard in the worst possible image.
"The last time we saw each other was before the gas broke our line of sight... In truth, I don’t know what befell him, but I can tell you one thing: Leonard came back... Martin didn’t. If I have to be direct, I strongly suspect that Leonard is the cause of your younger brother’s death."
Daniel’s eyes grew hollow.
"I see... Thank you for your cooperation. Rest assured, you will be rewarded handsomely."
He didn’t hold Russell any longer and let him go.
The next second, the armrests of the chair Daniel sat on shattered, tears falling down his face as his eyes ignited with bottomless hatred.
"Leonard! Mark my words, you will pay!"