"Ahh! Why—why did you *hurt* me?"
His voice cracked, filled with pain and rage. He clutched his side, staggering back, blood seeping through his fingers.
"You attacked me like I'm some demon, you bastard!" His words echoed through the training hall, sending murmurs rippling through the crowd of students gathered around the sparring circle.
"Hey, what's going on there?" someone muttered from the crowd. "Did that guy just get hurt?"
"Looks like it. Did Liam do that to him?" another chimed in, their tone thick with disdain.
"Of course, he did! What do you expect from a trash commoner?" a voice spat from the back. "Can't even handle a simple spar without breaking the rules."
"Yeah, just because he's a top ranker, he thinks he can get away with anything."
A figure rushed forward, eyes wide with concern. "Hey! What happened? How'd you get hurt so suddenly? That wound looks serious—better head to the infirmary."
"Shut up!" The wounded boy glared, fury and pain mixing in his gaze. "Crazy coming from *you*, the one who did this to me!"
"Me?" Liam looked genuinely confused, eyes darting between the bleeding figure and the crowd. "I wasn't even using any real force. You're accusing me of hurting you?"
"Don't play dumb, you bastard!" The nobleman's face contorted in rage. "You hit me because you can't stand us nobles! You've always had that hatred for us in your eyes—waiting for the perfect moment to lash out!"
"I—I never..." Liam's voice faltered, unsure of what to say.
"How cruel," came a low, mocking voice from the side. "Liam, you really hurt your classmate during a *friendly* spar?" Katakuri Kenshin, leaning casually against a pillar, smirked as he stirred the crowd further. "I thought even you would know the difference between a friendly match and outright brutality."
"I didn't hurt him!" Liam protested, his voice steadying. "I don't even know how he got that wound! I didn't hit him hard enough for this."
"Oh? So you're saying that wound just magically appeared on his body?" Katakuri raised an eyebrow, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "He was fighting you, wasn't he? Everyone saw you use more force than necessary."
"I said I didn't!" Liam's voice grew louder, but the crowd's whispers only increased. Resentful glares and accusatory whispers closed in around him, tightening the noose of judgment.
"Liam, what are you going to do now?" someone taunted from the back. "You've got yourself in deep this time. Everyone knows what you did."
The mob's voices grew louder, the tension thickening until—
"Enough!" A clear, commanding voice rang out, slicing through the noise. The crowd turned as one, all eyes falling on the girl who stepped forward, her long silver hair shimmering in the sunlight. Princess Ariella. The moment she spoke, the murmurs died down. No one dared oppose her.
Ariella's presence was enough to silence even the loudest whispers, and as she moved through the crowd, they parted for her, giving her a clear path to Liam.
"Why are you all so sure Liam did this?" Ariella's voice was calm, yet carried authority. "As far as I know, Liam wouldn't hurt anyone—not out of provocation or insecurity." She glanced at the injured noble and then back at Liam, her words laced with meaning. "He isn't the type."
Katakuri stepped forward, his smirk never leaving his face. "That doesn't change the fact that the guy is hurt. We all saw it with our own eyes. Who was he fighting? None other than Liam."
Ariella's gaze hardened. "And just because he's hurt, does that prove Liam was the one who did it?" Her voice cut through the crowd.
Katakuri's chuckle echoed in the silence. "So, Princess, you're suggesting he somehow did this to himself? Self-inflicted wounds, maybe?"
Ariella met his smirk head-on, unflinching. "I'm suggesting," she said, her tone sharpening, "that none of us should jump to conclusions. Just because he was fighting Liam doens't mean he got hurt by him *understand* it."
Katakuri's grin widened. "Oh, I see. We're all just blind, then? Witnesses mean nothing?"
"Not blind," she corrected him, stepping closer until they were nearly face to face. "Just... too eager to point fingers."
Liam, still clutching his side, cast a glance at Ariella, gratitude mixing with confusion. He knew she didn't owe him anything—especially when siding with him could spark more tension with the nobles. Yet here she was, standing between him and the crowd's judgment.
The nobleman on the ground groaned in pain, still bleeding. "This isn't some game," he spat, his voice trembling. "I'm injured! What are you going to do, Princess? Defend him while I *bleed* out?"
Ariella's expression softened slightly, but she didn't look away. "No one's denying you're hurt. But blaming Liam without proof isn't going to help anyone." She turned to the crowd. "Take him to the infirmary. Now."
Two students moved quickly to assist, lifting the injured noble as he hissed in pain.
As they led him away, Ariella turned back to Liam. "You should come with me."
Liam blinked. "Why?"
"Because," she said, lowering her voice so only he could hear, "I believe you. But if you stay here, things will only get worse. You're a top ranker, Liam. They're just waiting for you to slip up."
Liam clenched his jaw, frustration boiling inside him. "I didn't do anything wrong."
"I know," Ariella replied, her eyes softening. "But proving that might take more than words."
Before Liam could respond, Katakuri's voice broke through the tense silence. "Ah, Princess, always the protector of the weak." He pushed off the pillar and stretched lazily. "But let's not pretend this little incident won't have consequences. For him... or for you."
Ariella shot him a look.
"Maybe," he shrugged, eyes gleaming with mischief. "But it's fun watching you get all fired up. I wonder how long you'll keep defending him once the rumors start spreading."
Liam's fists tightened, anger and helplessness clashing within him. But before he could say anything, Ariella placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Don't rise to it," she whispered, her voice gentle yet firm. "He wants you to react.
Liam nodded,
With one last glance at the crowd, Ariella led him away, her silver hair gleaming in the fading sunlight, while whispers of doubt and resentment still lingered in the air.
As they walked, Liam's mind raced. He hadn't hit the noble that hard. There was no way that wound came from their fight. But if not him... then who—or what—had caused it?
As they walked, Liam's mind raced. He hadn't hit the noble that hard. There was no way that wound came from their spar. But if not him... then who—or what—had caused it?
"Wait."
Liam turned back, catching a glimpse of Lona approaching, her brow furrowed with concern.
"Yes, Miss Lona?"
The guy you just sparred with? He's the son of Duke Reiila. And he's tied to the World Government.
"Liam's heart sank. "I see…" he muttered, dread creeping in."
You know what that means, right?
""I didn't do anything! Why would you even think I'm the one who hurt him?"
"I'm not saying that, Liam. I believe in you; you're not the kind of person to do something like that. But all the odds are stacked against you. If things escalate, you'll need to meet with the Student Council to discuss this."
Liam looked at her, nodding in silence, the weight of the situation settling heavily on his shoulders
"Very well," Lona said, glancing around as the class came to a close. "Class is over; everyone shall go."
------
As I stood there, witnessing the unpredictable scene unfold, I couldn't help but feel a sense of disbelief. This wasn't supposed to happen. Why was the guy suddenly injured and placing the blame squarely on Liam?
Wasn't it too early in the story for this kind of chaos? Liam was a powerful student, coming from a lower background, and while jealousy simmered beneath the surface, nothing like this had occurred until months into the school year. So, how did this situation even arise? It felt like an anomaly—something new and disconcerting.
Things weren't going to be easy, I realized, and that made my stomach churn.
I moved toward the exit, my mind drifting back to my spar with Vali. I replayed the moments in my head, identifying my weaknesses and figuring out what I needed to improve.
Why should I even care about what happens to Liam? I muttered under my breath, trying to shake off the concern that crept in.
Suddenly, a notification pinged in my mind.
**[DING! 100 Creation Points have been added!]**
I blinked, momentarily caught off guard. A smirk crept across my face. Maybe this situation wasn't so bad after all.