Hearing Lyrian, kids nearby nearly fainted from shock. There wasn't a written rule that stated talking like this within the supreme royal family's presence was a crime, but everyone already knew to not do so anyways.
There were many instances in the past where people got their tongues cut off, prison time, and even the death penalty for disrespecting the presence of the Yaltan family.
Of course, Lyrian didn't have a clue about any of this, and nor did he really care. To him, seeing another person, let alone family, as superior simply because of their forefathers and name was nothing but a silly practice that people did to make themselves appear better to others.
In truth, he despised it. The idea of royalty, nobility, and all the other "tys" associated with them irked him to no end. Nonetheless, after posing his question, Silvus seemed to completely ignore him and continued perusing the food stalls. However, his guard couldn't help but notice and approached Lyrian with an air of authority.
"Boy, could your inquiries not wait until you are no longer in the presence of the young master?" he asserted, standing over Lyrian with a sense of self-importance.
His hands were clasped behind his back, and his calm tone signified his superior position in the conversation.
Many kids began to remember Lyrian's face from what he did on the ship on the way over here, and word had also spread throughout the campus by now.
Rumours had already spread about him, how he was rambunctious and daring, not having a care in the world for getting in trouble. Of course, he was still seen as a mysterious figure, everyone having no clue what he would do or say next.
Nonetheless, it seemed none of that mattered right now. In their eyes, simply begging for forgiveness and moving seemed like the best option right now for him.
He glanced up and down at the guard, unimpressed by his pompous appearance.
"Why should I? Does my eating food disrupt his ears so much that he cannot stand it? Just tell him to go somewhere else then, if he hates it that much." He spoke indifferently.
Hearing this, the guard immediately closed his eyes and forced a smile on his face.
"Boy... do you know whose authority you are questioning?" He said, seemingly trying to control his anger.
"Why should I care? I have done nothing wrong. Now leave me alone so I can enjoy my food."
Hearing this, the old man's eyes flew open with a newfound fury. "You dare to disrespect his honor?! Understand that peon's like you must behave your status before the presence of the supreme royal fam--" The old man glared at Lyrian as he began to bark, but was swiftly cut off.
"Oh shaaad' aap! Your yelling is causing spit to go all over my food," Lyrian said, guarding his food against the man's spit cannons. "Just leave me alone already. I'm not disrespecting shit. If you want to take it as disrespect, go ahead, but as I see it, that boy over there and I are equals." Lyrian spouted, his tone almost playful, adding to the humiliation that the guard already felt.
Never in his career had he come across such a daring brat. It was too much, even for him who had worked as a guard for years.
For a split second, he stopped holding his hands behind his back and reached for a hidden weapon in his waist, fully intent on beating and arresting this boy out of spite.
In that sliver of a moment, Lyrian noticed the aggressive intent that came from the man and readied himself to grab his sword as well, his killing intent spewing out in an instant.
The older gentleman immediately paused, an unfamiliar feeling of doom suddenly washing over him as he felt a sword slice clean through his neck out of nowhere.
'What was that!? Was I hallucinating it?' He thought to himself, sweat beginning to pour down his forehead.
He quickly clutched his neck, only to feel that it was still intact, and then he looked at the boy, staring directly back at him with a gaze that pierced through him.
"Alfron, that's enough." A calm and quiet voice suddenly sounded from Silvus.
The guard quickly turned to face him while panting in distress, his face slightly pale.
Silvus, with his eyes still inspecting the food items, said to the guard behind him. "Your squabble is getting annoying. You should have finished your business by now, but instead, you're just beginning to irritate me." He finally looked back and gazed at the guard with a sharp stare of his own, causing the guard to quickly return to his side.
After a few moments, the two departed, leaving everyone else in a collective sigh of relief.
"What in the world just happened!?" a kid beside Lyrian exclaimed, impressed by his bold words and bravery. The kid, who seemed to fit the "nerd" archetype, was dressed less impressively than the others, suggesting he wasn't from a particularly prestigious family.
"What are you talking about?" Lyrian replied, wanting to get back to his meal.
"You were so confident! And that aura... What was that aura!? It felt like we were in the presence of a monster or something!" he laughed, while Lyrian noticed several faces behind him reflecting the same awe-inspired expression.
"They felt it too? Is my mana aura becoming too overwhelming to contain?" Lyrian wondered, growing concerned about inadvertently revealing the extent of his power. Now, he was determined to find a way to conceal his aura...