The whispered echo of Klaus's name hung in the air, a tapestry woven with threads of both awe and disdain, a clandestine secret shared among onlookers.
"How did he manage to acquire such monstrous stamina?"
The collaterals and the children from vassal families found themselves unable to divert their gaze from Klaus as he made his entrance into the indoor gym.
What they had just witnessed contradicted the stories they had heard about him. Awe and disbelief gripped them as Klaus outlasted them in training, defying three years of dedicated stamina workouts.
"It's probably because of some special pill or elixir Lord Raphael gave him," mused one of the onlookers.
"Even with a pill or elixir, it shouldn't make this big of a difference," another replied, skepticism etched across his face.
Myre Lionhart, the unfortunate soul who tasted Klaus's punch, furrowed his brow, attempting to decipher the puzzle before him.
"Didn't his dad used to be part of the main family before he got kicked out? Klaus might've inherited some rare elixirs and pills, plus the ones Lord Raphael tossed his way," Myre broke it down for the others, unraveling the layers of Klaus's mystery.
"Ah!"
"So, he managed to last that long because of those elixirs, not his own strength."
"And he's acting all proud!"
The kids wrinkled their noses, repulsed at the notion of Klaus relying on numerous elixirs.
"Tsk!"
"Lucky guy!"
"He got lots of good elixirs even though he's just a collateral. Nothing likable about him."
Myre grinned, savoring the resentment brewing among the kids.
"That's why I'm saying," he began, gathering their attention.
"Huh?"
"Shouldn't we teach him a lesson? Show him he's not above us."
"True. Let's put him in his place."
"I concur. Let's reveal to him the pecking order within these walls."
"Then, when he goes back to the dormitory today…"
"Enough already!"
Before they could dive into their plotting, a voice interrupted them.
"Alex?"
"You are all going to tarnish the Lionhart name."
Alex shot the kids a stern look.
'How pathetic.'
Even though he didn't like Klaus, he wasn't on board with using violence against him. Such schemes clashed with the Lionhart name. A true Lionhart, for Alex, didn't resort to schemes to defeat an enemy but used pure strength instead.
"He's just a bug who will drop out soon. Ignore him and focus on training," Alex declared, his gaze piercing through their unsightly machinations.
Narrowing his eyes at the unsightly spectacle, Alex left the training ground for the dormitory. The taste of defeat at Klaus's hands lingered like a bitter aftertaste, and he needed time alone to reflect.
"Ah, hmm…"
"He told us to stop."
"Hmm."
"And what of it? Shall we let this upstart dictate our realm?"
Myre clicked his tongue, observing the crestfallen kids.
"What?"
"Alex doesn't need to know about our plans."
"Ah?"
"Indeed. Cease these deliberations and prepare. If we teach Klaus a lesson, I'm confident Alex will find solace. After all, he, too, succumbed to Klaus's prowess."
The trio huddled together, minds buzzing with anticipation as they plotted the unfolding drama to discipline Klaus.
"Let's make it subtle," Myre suggested, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "A lesson he won't forget."
***
Klaus strolled outside the indoor gymnasium after inspecting the state-of-the-art equipment.
'Quite impressive.'
The training gear was top-notch, just as Rick had promised. The training ground seemed poised to mold exceptional trainees if they could heed the guidance.
Klaus started to get ready to do some physical training when Greed stopped him.
{Geezz don't tell me that you will train again; you just run for hours.}
'That was just a warm-up,' Klaus replied with a nonchalant tone and then started to do pull-ups. The trainees who passed by looked at him like a freak; they couldn't believe he still had enough energy to train.
Klaus ignored their staring look and continued his physical training. After doing over a hundred and fifty pull-ups, he started doing some push-ups, and after that, he began lifting heavy weights.
He repeated it for hours, and some trainees, especially girls, were watching him train discreetly. They couldn't help but find the young boy very attractive.
Having started training in the afternoon, the sky had darkened. As Klaus made his way out of the training ground, about to head to the dormitory...
"Hey."
From the alleyway on the right, a low voice resonated. When he turned, the three collaterals who had confronted him that morning glared at him with intimidating expressions.
"I heard that Lord Raphael pitied your pitiable state and gave you many elixirs."
"And that's why you're so cocky?"
"If I had consumed an elixir or a body transformation pill like you did, I would've been way better than you. I'd be right behind Alex or that arrogant Nicholas already."
Approaching with a misplaced sense of authority, the trio seemed to believe they spoke from a position of power.
{Stupid kids! Are they really trying to start another fight with you despite their shortcomings?} Greed's exasperated tone filled Klaus's mind.
'Don't worry. This time, I'll make sure the lesson sticks,' Klaus said, letting a dark smile play on his lips.
As Klaus squared his shoulders, a sinister determination in his eyes, the alleyway filled with a palpable tension. The trio exchanged smirks, thinking they had Klaus cornered.
"Oh, you think some elixirs make you invincible?" sneered one of them, attempting to provoke Klaus.
'Invincible? No. But strong enough to handle the likes of you,' Klaus thought, the smirk never leaving his face.
"Let's see if you can back up that arrogance," another one chimed in, a cocky grin stretching across his face.
Klaus chuckled, a low, menacing sound that echoed through the alley. "You've got my attention."
The stage was set for a confrontation, and as Klaus faced the trio, the air crackled with anticipation. The shadows cast by the dimming light played on his face, emphasizing the newfound resolve that had sparked within him.