A new day, a new experience, a breath of fresh air.
The days have elapsed and another day has passed. With the vanishing of darkness and the dyeing of the sky blue, the final day of the weekday has arrived once again. One more day and the students of Darius Academy can finally rest.
Yet despite it being a day to look forward to, the whole Academy was abuzz, rumors and gossip spreading like wildfire. The halls were filled with clamor and ruckus, the students whispering to one another, voices low and can be.
"Hey, that's her, isn't it? The one who challenged you-know-who."
"Yeah. I did hear that she was skilled, but I didn't think she'd challenged a Caraquel."
"That's because you don't know how good she is. I've seen her performance back in one of our electives, and I can say she's amongst the best in our grade.
"Ohh～! Then this should be exciting then!"
All their words were directed to a single person, their eyes shifting towards her from time to timeー no, it would be more appropriate to say that all eyes were on her, the student body giving her a curious and concerned look.
That figure was none other than Yuna, confidently walking down the hallways, her expression painted differently and before. She looked a lot more serious than usual, the air around her feeling sharp and chilly.
"Amazing... They really are looking at Elena..." ［Kale］
"Hmph! These obnoxious people! Don't they know it's rude to stare?" ［Alea］
Kale, Alea, and Edin were also with her, heading towards their classroom. They tried to, but they just couldn't help but notice all the stares directed at them. It felt like they were boring holes through their heads, uncomfortable as can be.
As for the reason why such curious stares were directed at the silver-haired young lady, one had to look back yesterday. It was the very same day the greenhouse was destroyed, all items and plants mercilessly ruined along with it.
Grey and Yuna had just finished their conversation, and the others were still gloomy and crestfallen over what just happened. They were all still looking down to the ground, both life and colors void from their dry eyes, only sighing in grief as they watched the painful scene before them.
"Here, Alea, Edin, Kale, have and eat some." ［Yuna］
And in that dark time, a single hand reached towards them, extending a couple packs of cookies to cheer them up. It was none other than Yuna, Grey standing behind her, both looking at them with eyes filled with concern.
They were all puzzled by the sudden gesture, but they still accepted the young lady's goodwill. Though they could see she was smiling, there was something off about her, her usual cheerfulness nowhere to be seen.
"Sorry about this, everyone. This might have happened because of me." ［Yuna］
"N-No! Not at all! It's not Elena's fault! It's the fault of the one who did this!" ［Alea］
"That's right, Elena. Even if Jermel did this because he's envious of you, we aren't blaming you or anything. You're just a victim like us." ［Kale］
"So you already knew..." ［Yuna］
"Well... There's been several nasty rumors about him. He's the only person who I can think is arrogant enough to pull this off." ［Kale］
Kale's voice sounded calm, but he was clearly clenching his fists, trembling ever so slightly. There was still intense anger brewing deep in his heart, wanting to crush the arrogant bastard he just mentioned to pieces if he could.
Unfortunately, the opponent was a noble, and one of especially high standing. Even with the help of the Academy, there is only so much commoners like him could do, especially when they don't even have evidence to back their claims.
It was unfortunate, but there was nothing they could do about it. The moment they try to push themselves any further, it will only lead to more difficulties in the future. It was better to simply set it aside and move forward without taking a look behind.
"Then, should I beat him up for you?" ［Yuna］
"H... Huh...?" ［Kale］
However, such restrictions don't apply to Grey and Yuna. Forget the nobility, not even Royalty could do something to them so easily. They possessed influence not lower to that of Monarchs, able to wipe out anyone who dares to stand their way.
No, that was a mere underestimation. No matter what field or situation they are in, Grey and Yuna already stand at the top where no one could do anything against them. If they wanted to, they could destroy a kingdom or two,
Normally, one would think that Yuna's words were just a joke, but with the strangely serious and intimidating eyes she wore, no one could say anything against her. She has become a completely different person, totally dominating them.
"E-Elena, we're glad you're worried about us, but you shouldn't endanger yourself just because of us. Your thoughts are more than enー" ［Alea］
"Just because of you...? Don't say it like we're strangers! You three are my precious friends! It's natural that I'll do this much for you... Or... is it that I'm the only one who thinks so?" ［Yuna］
"N-No, it's not like that! We treat you as friends, right?!" ［Alea］
"Yeah! We just don't want you to put yourself in danger because of us!" ［Kale］
"I see... That makes it more the reason that I should do at least this much." ［Yuna］
It was a trap, the two only realizing that it was a trap when all was finished. Yuna already knew they would be worried about her, so she made it into a situation that they couldn't say no even if they wanted to.
"Fufufu! Don't worry about me too much. I don't have any plans of putting myself in danger. I still have a lot of dreams to achieve, you know?" ［Yuna］
"Elena, you.... You really are something..." ［Kale］
Such were the only words Kale could mutter, feeling happy and guilty at the same time. He's happy that she was concerned enough about them to go to such lengths, but also guilty that she puts herself in danger for them,
Alea was also in the same situation, her tears welling up once more as she bawled her eyes out again. She thought that she had already dried up her tears from crying so much, a few moments ago but it seems to not be the case.
"Elena, I won't stop you... But please be careful..." ［Edin］
Finally, Edin, who has been quiet the whole time, had spoken out a few words. He was just as touched as Kale and Alea, also worried that she might put herself in unnecessary danger because of them.
"Fufufu! Don't worry so much. I might not look it, but I'm pretty strong, you know? And even if things turn for the worst, I still have Shin with me." ［Yuna］
"Yeah. You can rest assured. I'll make sure to look after Elena. She may be a little bit reckless at times, but she's still my beloved fiancée." ［Grey］
"Shin... You make it sound like I'm a handful to take care of." ［Yuna］
"Oh? Is that not the case, My Dear?" ［Grey］
And now, what seemed to have been a serious situation has turned into a comedy bit between the engaged couple. They were subtle, but smiles bloomed on the faces of the others as they watched the two banter wittingly.
The two of them also smiled and felt relieved at the sight of the three, feeling much better now that they were smiling. They could finally take their leave and settle their business with Jermel, the much more civilized way.
"Ah! Can I take some herbs here before we go?" ［Yuna］
"H... Herbs...? From here...?" ［Alea］
"Un! I have some use for them, you see." ［Yuna］
But before they went, Grey and Yuna picked up a couple herbs from the ground. They may be damaged greatly, but some of them could still be salvaged. Plus, Yuna has some uses for them later on down the line.
Soon after, Grey and Yuna finally left the greenhouse and left the others in the care of their reliable classmates. They are now in good hands, munching on some of the cookies Yuna just gave them. They were delicious.
"Grey, can you tell me where they are?" ［Yuna］
"Copy that, Ma'am." ［Grey］
Finding the enemies wasn't very difficult of a task either. All Grey had to do was use his "Heaven's Eye" to survey the whole Academy and in just a couple fractions of a second, he immediately found where the perpetrators were.
They were still walking down the corridors, big and disgusting smiles plastered on their faces. And it wasn't just Jermel, the very thugs who destroyed the greenhouse were also with him, laughing with him heartily.
While he may not be able to hear them, Grey could make out their words from the movements of their mouths. They were still talking about the greenhouse incident, looking smug and proud about the devastation they just caused.
"Found them..." ［Grey］
"Great! Let's go ahead and greet them, shall we?" ［Yuna］
Grey and Yuna didn't waste any more time and immediately headed towards the hallways where Jermel and his entourage of imbeciles were, their hearts pumping fiercely, ready to do some action. A more peaceful type of action, that is.
They both vanished into thin air, not even a footstep to be heard. Air had returned to the place, the shadows shifting slowly but surely as usual. The very next moment, they appeared before a couple familiar bit loathsome figures.
"Hahaha! I wonder what's the look on their faces right now?!"
"They must look hilarious! I'm sure that demoness is crying right now!"
"Kukuku! That's what they get for messing with the Boss!"
And just their luck, it seems like the people responsible for the greenhouse incident are still talking and laughing about what heinous acts they just did, showing no remorse about what just happened, even laughing boisterously.
They didn't even pretend to hide it, and make sure no one finds out. Rather, they seemed quite proud of what just happened, laughing out loud without any regard to the people walking down the hallway, not even batting them an eye.
After all, they were with Jermel, who is known as the heir of Caraquel. The moment someone tried to speak out against them, they would be in a world of pain. They can only act deaf and blind, trying to not pay attention to them.
"But as expected of the Young Lord! With this, she wouldn't act arrogant anymore.
"Hmph! That b*tch deserves this. Who told her to humiliate our Boss?"
"Right, right. A commoner should have known her place."
They were also quite good at bootlicking, inflating Jermel's ego even more with more of their unruly and impudent words. They were scum amongst scum, harassing the weak just because they could. The worst kind of trash.
"Hahaha! Those commoners should have just kept quiet like the lowly b*tches that they are. They should be kneeling toー Urk!"
THUNK THUD THUD
And just as they were chatting ever so merrily with their flamboyant voices, a sudden cabbage came flying out of nowhere, hitting one of the thug's heads, and making him bite his tongue. It was all so sudden, they couldn't even sense it.
"Which crazy bastard just threw aー Ugh! Urk! Uwaak!"
They soon turned to see who was responsible for it, but rather than the perpetrator, they were greeted by a volley of a few more cabbages, hitting them all in the head, and making them eat some raw leafy greens.
Jermel was also not spared, getting hit by an extra big one, hitting him right on the mark and squashing his ugly face. He was so weak and useless, he immediately fell towards the ground, sitting his ass down towards the floor.
"Oh my, you were having an interesting conversation just now. Why did you suddenly stop? I wanted to hear more of it, you know?" ［Yuna］
"You worthless b*tch! Who do you think youー Guaaakkk!!"
"Did you just say something, just now?" ［Yuna］
Of course, the one throwing them was none other than Yuna, packing a little bit of strength in her throws to make sure they hurt an extra bit. She was one devious and crazy little devil when she's angry. She really is.
'Yuna... This isn't civilized at all...' ［Grey］
Some people tried to go at her, but they were quickly hit by another cabbage, forcing them to stay down. They couldn't do anything to her at all, only humiliating themselves the more they tried to struggle against her.
"Hey, Jermel, you were the one who destroyed Alea and the others' greenhouse, weren't you? You were just talking about it now." ［Yuna］
"This lowly wh*re! That's Lord Jermel for youー Uwaakkkk!"
And now, she is starting to throw potatoes towards the ones who try to interrupt her, hurting a lot more than the cabbages. It even blasted one of the thugs away quite a bit of distance. Even a bear would faint at such a force.
It was only then that they realized what situation they were into, Yuna turning out to be completely different from the frail and delicate lady they expected. At this point, she looked even more of a thug than the real thugs.
"What the hell are you talking about?! Do you know what kind of crime it is to hit a noble?! I will make sure the Headmaster hears aboutー" ［Jermel］
"Answer my question. Were you the one who did it?" ［Yuna］
Jermel tried to use his status as a noble to scare the young lady, but it was pointless. Yuna didn't even budge an inch, looking at him with indifference in her eyes, ready to crush him the very moment he slips up with his words.
"Y-You...! Are you accusing me of such a crime?! Can you handle the consequences of pinning a nonsensical crime towards a noble?!" ［Jermel］
"Yes. Yes I can. But the question is... Can you...? Can you handle the consequences of committing a crime as a noble?" ［Yuna］
He tried to use the same cards again, but it was pointless. Yuna still turned the table around, firmly standing her ground and dominated the whole conversation. She was not one to be pushed around, his eyes that of a predator's.
"I... I can...! I definitely can! But do you have evidence?! You are just spouting baseless accusations towards me! This is injustice!" ［Jermel］
"Evidence, huh... That's funny... Did you know that there's a whole lot of Meltor Bluebill Grass in that greenhouse?" ［Yuna］
"And so what?! What does that prove?!" ［Jermel］
"Well, you see... Though Meltor Bluebill Grass extracts are clear at first, they actually change into a nice blue color once you pour a mix of acidic solutions to it. I bet you didn't know that, did you?" ［Yuna］
Said Yuna with a bright smile on her face, but Jermel's expressions couldn't be any different. He was white as a sheet of paper, clearly nervous about Yuna's words. Just another push and he would be driven into a corner.
"You see... I just so happen to have that very solution with me. Should we give it a try? There should be nothing to lose if you're innocent, isn't there?" ［Yuna］
"S-Stop talking nonsense! I'm sure you planned this all to be in your favor! This is all a ploy so that you could pin those acts to me. Am I right?!" ［Jermel］
"Even if that is true, then how is it that your people would have Meltor Bluebill extracts all over their bodies. Aren't you the one speaking nonsense here?" ［Yuna］
"S-S-Shut up! I'm not listening to this pointless talk anymore! Let's go!" ［Jermel］
He may be a little talented in alchemy, but he was very much useless in other things, the moment he was cornered, he immediately started panicking, escaping the scene quickly as he could with his stupid henchmenー or so he was going to.
"Fufufu! You really are like they say... Coward." ［Yuna］
But the very moment he heard Yuna's words, he immediately stopped on his tracks, irked veins popping all over his face as his heart trembled with rage. He looked at Yuna once again, his hands itching to rip her apart.
He was as arrogant as he was stupid, easily provoked at the most trivial of things. Yuna didn't even need to try so hard, the enemy falling for her trap at the very first try. Everything was going perfectly according to the plan.
"What... did you just say to me...?" ［Jermel］
"I said you're a coward! You're a coward who only has your family's status going on for you! If not for your money, you'd be worse than a 3rd rate alchemist!" ［Yuna］
"You b*tch! I'm going to rip you apart! Get her!" ［Jermel］
Unable to retaliate against Yuna's harsh words, all he could do was resort to violence, sending out his uselessly large and bulky henchmen thugs to charge towards Yuna. There were a total of 6 of them, each one ready to bring harm to the young lady.
Unfortunately, there was one thing they forgot to consider....
BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM CRASSSHHHHH
... And that was Yuna was not alone.
Before they could even get the chance to get in Yuna's range, Grey had already appeared before them and connected some "light" punches toward their solar plexus, blasting them towards the walls and the pillars.
"Take another step forward and it won't end with just blasting you away anymore. Just try to approach my fiancée... I dare all of you." ［Grey］
He was even scarier than the young lady, acting like a fierce tiger protecting its cub. His eyes were one which burned with intimidation, seemingly looking like the Grim Reaper, ready to harvest the souls of the damned.
Grey had been keeping silent since before, but he is pretty pissed about the bastard students calling his beloved Yuna curses and other names. If he could castrate them, he would have already done so. He was seething with rage.
"You...! You two! Don't think you're getting away with isー" ［Jermel］
"Blah Blah Blah! You're all talk! If you're so angry, why don't you defeat me in an alchemy battle then? Tomorrow, at lunch break! The loser will admit their fault and take responsibility for everything. If you're so proud of your skills, that shouldn't be very hard for you, isn't it?" ［Yuna］
"Why should I agree to such nonsense?!" ［Jermel］
"Heh... I knew it... You might come from a prestigious family, but a coward would remain a coward. I was a fool for expecting too much." ［Yuna］
"You b*tch! If that's what you want, then fine! I'll make you regret it!" ［Jermel］
Jermel was just about to make the right decision, but he was too prideful, he couldn't even withstand a simple provocation, immediately agreeing to Yuna's words, It was all top perfect, everything going all according to plan.
"You better not run away. I'll make sure to show you the difference between the nobility and commoners. I'll thoroughly crush you!" ［Jermel］
"Fufufu! I'm looking forward to it then." ［Yuna］
Just like that, the challenge was decided, and Yuna and Jermel would be having an alchemy battle during lunch break. The rumors had spread since then, everyone in the Academy practically knowing all about it now.
With it, not only did Yuna make him dig his own grave, but also humiliate himself in front of everybody. She will tarnish his reputation by winning in a landslide victory, making sure that he won't be able to act arrogant anymore.
It was a cheap price to pay for all the terrible things he had done.
"Elena... Are you really sure about this? You don't have to go this far for us. You don't have to risk yourself over this!" ［Kale］
"We believe in your skills, but your opponent is still a Caraquel. Even if you win the alchemy battle, things would surely become difficult for you in the future." ［Edin］
"Yeah... You can still back out, and we'll help you in every way we can. I'm sure the Headmaster would also hear us out. It's not too late yet." ［Alea］
Like before, the others were still worried about Yuna. Sincere worry for the wellbeing of their friend that they just couldn't help but fidget around. They were the ones being nervous for the young lady, heart filled with concern and anxiety,
Yuna is very happy, but she wouldn't be backing out because of it. She could handle the bullying and harassment, but she couldn't forgive those who harms those who are precious to her. She's going to make sure that they pay the right price.
"Fufufu! Don't worry too much, everyone. I already have a special weapon prepared, so everything will be all fine. You can rest assured." ［Yuna］
"A secret weapon...?" ［Edin］
"It isn't anything dangerous, is it?" ［Alea］
"Fufufu! You'll just have to wait and see!" ［Yuna］
A bright smile on her lovely face, everyone continued their steps, taking a few twists, turns, and stairs. Curious and concerned peeks and stares continued to follow them as their steps echoed throughout the massive hallways.
They soon arrived at their destination, even more curious looks greeting them as they entered the room. All were people interest to watch the not-so-long-awaited alchemy battle, the enemy standing proudly before them with a sh*t-eating grin on his face,
"You've finally arrived." ［Jermel］
CHAPTER 378 END