"You..." Camus wore a grim expression, never expecting Lis to be so blunt and leave him no room to maneuver.
Feeling helpless, Camus gauged the situation. Under the suppression of Welf, the Golden Warrior, he realized that there was no turning back.
He had no choice but to pretend to be concerned about Yor's injuries and, along with others, carry Yor towards the academy's infirmary.
Before leaving, he looked at the Sky Blue Gemstone in Lis's hand with immense heartache. Seeing Lis toss the gem up and down as if to show off, Camus clenched his teeth and turned to leave the scene without uttering a curse.
Lis did not stop him, just quietly watched them leave, seemingly lost in thought.
The crowd, seeing that the exciting event had come to such an anticlimactic end, felt somewhat disappointed and gradually dispersed.
After Camus and the others had vanished from sight, Lis continued toward the Fifth Magic Workshop with Welf, noting that it was already getting late.
"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!"
After excusing himself from the crowd, Camus returned to his dormitory at the academy. As an excellent student, he had been assigned a private dorm, where he didn't fear any sudden intrusions.
The usually smiling Camus could no longer maintain his facade, and fiercely swept all the objects off the desk in a fit of rage, clattering noise erupting around him, his complexion terrifyingly dark.
After venting, Camus finally calmed down and considered the consequences of his failed probing.
This secret manipulation of Yor and the others likely hadn't been discovered yet, but what to do about the failed mission? He would not have such a good opportunity next time.
As for the assistant position, Camus didn't care about it at all!
He had learned through back channels that Lis was invited to the Fifth Magic Workshop today and had intentionally led Yor and the others to 'coincidentally' run into Lis.
Originally, the plan was for Yor, as a High-level Bronze Mage, to be more than enough to test Lis's strength, and losing was inconsequential. It would be just a normal spell competition, nothing to worry about even if the academy found out.
But who would have thought that Lis wouldn't play by the rules!
It shouldn't be like this. Lis, that guy is usually so silent and focused only on spell research, never showing any signs of being a noble Viscount.
Not having seen him for a while, how did he suddenly change so much?
This is trouble!
The Lord had tasked me to probe Lis for his current strength and protective measures, but without even a spell competition, what else could I do?
Camus pondered. Although he didn't understand why the Lord had ordered him to do this—after all, isn't Lis just a Junior Mage? Perhaps the only notable thing about him was his noble status as a Court Viscount.
Camus was confident that, given similar circumstances, he would be many times stronger than Lis.
With the Lord's exalted status, he really should not care about an ordinary noble like Lis.
And to test Lis's protective measures?
Could it be...
Camus suddenly shuddered, halting his dangerous train of thought.
Whatever the Lord had planned, high-stake gambles were not for small fry like him to be involved in.
He was just one of the silently cultivated hands, and if not for this task, he wouldn't have had the chance to meet the Lord face-to-face.
Thinking of this, Camus remembered the Sky Blue Gemstone given to him by the Lord, feeling waves of heart-wrenching pain.
The precious Magic Gem was meant to be used for this mission, and had he succeeded, it would have been his to keep.
To think that not only had the mission failed, but the gemstone was now in the hands of that detestable Lis!
Well, if it really came down to it, there was only one option left!
Camus thought bitterly, a hint of madness flickering across his gloomy face.
---------------
Welf, sword in hand, followed behind Lis as they walked down the quiet academy avenue.
Having taught those people a lesson and even obtained a high-level Magic Gem, shouldn't Master Lis be pleased? Why did he look so somber?
Welf was puzzled but clueless about what Lis was thinking.
Lis, however, paid no mind to Welf by his side. He was turning the newfound Sky Blue Gemstone in his hand, his thoughts still on the recent events.
There's something off about that Camus!
After receiving an invitation to return to the Feis Royal Magic Academy, these people just "happened" to encounter me and "on a whim" decided to duel me, and they even produced an expensively valued Advanced Magic Gem!
One should know that even the Jade Gemstone embedded in the Magic Wand I use is only equivalent in value to this Sky Blue Gemstone, already surpassing ten thousand Gold Coins.
These few students who are commoners without any background or accumulation, Lis wouldn't believe for a moment they could bring out such treasures on their own.
Could it possibly be that the God of Dawn had sent them especially to deliver treasures to me?
Really? I don't buy it!
Lis certainly didn't consider himself to be one of those lucky types like Long Aotian who could receive treasures simply by sleeping at home.
Therefore, those few people must have a problem! And that leader, Camus, is the most suspicious.
So what was their purpose in challenging me to a duel?
It absolutely wasn't for some so-called assistant qualification.
The opportunity to study in the Academy's Fifth Magic Workshop is indeed rare, but for a commoner to so brazenly challenge a Kingdom Viscount, that's just too ridiculous.
Especially that Camus!
The way he swallowed his pride and walked away the last time he confronted me, does it show that he's not the type to get hot-blooded and challenge nobles just for a qualification?
So since it's not for the sake of a qualification that we're dueling, and I have no other connections to them, then...
...their goal is simply the act of challenging me to a duel itself!
To cross swords with me?
To probe and ascertain my strengths and weaknesses?
Lis sorted through the details of recent events bit by bit, increasingly feeling that this minor incident was not as simple as it seemed, especially knowing that he would face an assassination attempt in three months.
Perhaps this was a test by the schemer behind the scenes?
Suddenly, Lis laughed confidently, If that's the case, all the better!
He didn't fear the probing; he feared opponents who lurked in the shadows, never revealing the slightest opening or flaw.
As long as their ultimate goal was still to assassinate him during the Sacrificial Festival, they definitely wouldn't prematurely send Advanced Professionals to deal with him, to avoid startling him.
Or rather, they definitely wouldn't allow any incidents to befall him before the Sacrificial Festival!
Knowing the future course of the plot was Lis's greatest advantage!
After sifting these thoughts, Lis glanced at the Golden Warrior Welf by his side and felt a sense of security arise, saying to him earnestly and sincerely,
"Welf, my safety from here on is all in your hands, work hard!"
Welf, looking at Lis who had suddenly turned to speak to him was puzzled, as if a few question marks had popped up over his slow-witted head.
What's up with the young master? Has he developed a persecution complex?
Of course, such words couldn't be said aloud. Welf merely nodded steadily, giving Lis a reassuring expression of trust.
It was only natural to protect the young master well; Welf dared not imagine how Housekeeper Joyce would 'take care' of him should anything happen to Lis.
The mere thought made Welf shiver, and his gaze grew even more resolute.
Lis looked strangely at the Guard Captain by his side, wondering why a single sentence from him caused the man's expression to change three times?
But Lis soon ran out of time for idle chatter with Welf.
Because in front of him, the School's Fifth Magic Workshop had arrived.
The workshop looked similar to a Mage Tower, or one could say that, in a sense, the Royal Magic Academy's Magic Workshops were just "public" Mage Towers, passed down among Academy Mages.
The deep black walls fortified with layers of Magic Runes were impervious to even cannon fire.
The multiple levels of the tower seemed to have silver-white light flowing on it, and to ensure the stability of the research environment inside, the whole tower had hardly any windows.
Especially given the lack of any sign reading "Such-and-such Magic Workshop," had it not been for Lis attending the school for several years, he would have never recognized this as one of the Kingdom Core Magic Workshops, the Academy's Fifth Magic Workshop.
Before Lis could even make it to the front door, the heavy walls opened to the sides like automatic doors, and a clear, familiar voice rang in Lis's ear:
"Lis, why did it take you so long to get here?"