2 days earlier at Troy's dwelling...
'Huh? Someone knocking at my door at this hour? Who has the balls to come to talk to me this late?' Troy thought as it was already past midnight. Troy just came out of his shower and put fast some clothes on, in order to go to check who was looking for him.
As Troy opened the door, he noticed a familiar face outside. Even if they didn't have a strong friendship, they knew each other because both of them were high ranked,
"Jacob? What do you want at this time of the day?" Troy said surprised to see him. They weren't used to talking much to each other, but they had something in common... the hate for those having a lower status trying to change their fate.
"Troy, I need your help to put Arslan back in his place." Jacob said while gritting his teeth in frustration.
"Ohoh, I see, come inside." Troy said as an uneasy smile appeared on his face, 'This is getting interesting.' He thought as he made Jacob sit on a chair at his table.
Once both of them sat in front of one another, they started talking,
"The dwellings of the Great families are so beautiful compared to the others." Jacob said as he looked around, trying to make a good impression on Troy.
"So, what kind of help do you want?" Troy asked as he placed his elbows on the table with his arms folded.
Jacob became nervous as he remembered what happened the day before,
"I need a way to convince him to accept my challenge! Right after you left yesterday, that trash not only disrespected Elder Song but Cindy and me too! And Elder Song didn't even side with us! He just let him go, impeding me to teach him a lesson!" He said as he slammed his fists on the table in frustration.
'All of this happened? That loser must have gone crazy. But I wonder why Elder Song is so willing to help him...' Troy thought while listening carefully to what Jacob was saying,
"Why was Arslan hostile towards Elder Song?"
"I didn't care about it, so I didn't pay much attention to what they said..."
"Mmm... I see."
"But now that I think of it, I remember Arslan saying that he knew the motive Elder Song had to help him out. I don't know if this can be useful."
'The motive...? And if Elder Song were after the same thing I'm looking for? I also heard the news that he was the one to bring Arslan to the infirmary after he got beaten by Robert! F*ck, why didn't I think about it sooner? Elder Song started helping Arslan right after the Martial Competition!' Troy thought as he opened his eyes wide after such a realization,
'Sh*t, he is dangerous. I must be the one to find what Arslan is cultivating, I can't allow someone else to meddle in this affair.' His face got gloomy as he thought of Elder Song as a threat to his ambitions.
Jacob noticed the sudden change in Troy's facial expression,
"Did you understand something from what I told you?" He asked confused as he didn't think that information could lead to some sort of clue.
"Yes, it was very useful, thank you, Jacob. You definitely deserve my help to deal with that trash." Troy said as he grinned again.
"Really? So, will you help me convince him?" Jacob said surprised as he thought he would have needed to give back the favor after getting Troy's help.
"Even better... I will show you his biggest weakness... Now go. Come to my room tomorrow evening... we will head to my residence."
"Are you sure Arslan will accept?" Jacob said as he stood up from the chair and headed towards the dwelling's door.
"Don't worry, he will go mad after this." Troy said smiling at the thought of the devil-like thing he was planning to do.
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"J-Jacob...? What are you doing here?" Arslan asked as his worry became true. Jacob was there, in front of Arslan's door.
"What am I doing here? You showed no submission towards me and Cindy and you ask why I came here? I'm here to challenge you in the fighting Arena of the Academy, and humiliate you in front of everyone!" Jacob said as he detached his back from the door he was leaning on till that moment. He looked sure of what he was saying and determination filled his eyes, which showed no good intentions.
"I already refused your challenge and I will do it again." Arslan said as his nervousness kept increasing. He felt something was off and not seeing his sister was making him more and more worried, 'Why does he look so confident? Where is Elma?' His hands were trembling as he didn't want to think about the worst-case scenario.
At that moment, he saw a shadow coming closer from behind his room. Arslan was shocked by what his eyes were showing him.
"Are you sure you want to reject his challenge Arslan?" Troy said as he came out of the place where he was hiding.
Arslan didn't pay attention to what he said. The only sense he was focusing on was his sight, as his eyes kept looking at the thing Troy was keeping in his right hand.
'T-T... That is... Elma's headband!' Its natural color was yellow, but, when Arslan saw it, he noticed blood drops on it.
"WHAT THE F*CK DID YOU DO TO HER????" Arslan screamed as he lost the light of reason and clenched his trembling fists. Filled with worry, frustration, anger, and guilty for not having protected her, his heart beat as fast as ever. The only light of his life was in danger.
"Hahahaha, Troy you were right, he really lost all sense of reason." Jacob said satisfied with the result of their plot.
"I told you he would have gone mad." Troy said as he laughed while making the headband swing with his hand.
Arslan tried to calm down and focus. He knew he couldn't allow himself to make mistakes in such a situation, 'Oh God, please, tell me that she is fine!'