Grand ArchmageEdit DetailsCreate a new chapterDrafts257433,126001 Dethroned002 Lost in the Forest003 The Perilous Forest Encounter004 The Last Williamson005 The Wretched Servant006 Self-recommendation007 Wager008 Experiment009 The Weeping of Burial010 You Won011 Restless012 I want to learn magic013 The Shattered Crystal014 Bloody Taro Top 1015 Bloody Taro Top 2016 servant017 The Miraculous Prophecy 1018 The Miraculous Prophecy 2019 Father and Son020 The Secret of the Bloody Taro021 The Simplest Path022 Luxury Equipment023 Provocation 1024 Provocation 2025 Goodwill026 Storm027 Raid on 1028 Raid on 2029 Counterattack030 The Metamorphosis of a Novice031 Harvest032 The Arcane Circle033 Talent Assessment034 The Land of Dreams035 Integrated Point System036 The First Apprentice Task037 Redemption038 Stellar Meditation 1039 Stellar Meditation 2040 Stellar Meditation 3041 The Agreement042 Anthony's Grand Project043 New Student Task Season044 Sogyo Tidal Flats045 Prinson Standard046 Chaos 1047 Chaos 2048 Fishmen Leader 1049 Fishmen Leader 2050 Muddying the Waters051 Strangle052 Swamp Anomaly053 Conclusion054 Ambush055 Powerless056 Pursuit057 Revenge058 Judgment 1059 Judgment 2060 Divine Light Infusion061 Gains062 Appraisal is an Art063 Bottleneck 1064 Bottleneck 2065 Guidance066 Faraday's Elemental Magic067 Blood Boil068 Earth and Thunder069 Golden Badge070 Mr. Charlie071 Medicinal Cuisine from My Hometown072 Fishing Fire Manor 1073 Fishing Fire Manor 2074 Fishing Fire Manor 3075 Fishing Fire Manor 4076 Fishing Fire Manor 5077 Absorption078 Magic and Art079 Magical Rune Carver080 The Cliff Decrement Effect081 Big Business082 Let Him Wait083 The Prince with a Secret Crush084 The Troublemaker085 The Scroll086 No Flirting with Her087 Wrath of Shadows088 Why Even Ask?089 Mourning My Lost Love090 Mourning My Lost Love 2091 Mourning My Lost Love 3092 Ally Contract093 The Belated Potion094 Ambition095 Enslavement096 Debate 1097 Debate 2098 Debate 3099 Debate 4100 Compliments That Kill101 Teaming Week102 Colorful Potion103 Conflict104 Twilight Town105 The Value of Scrolls106 The Camaraderie of the Undead Brothers107 Carousel Battle 1108 Carousel Battle 2109 Carousel Battle 3110 Clearing the Wilderness111 Assassination Plot112 A Decision113 The Vow114 Locking In115 Collaboration116 Collective Hunt 1117 Collective Hunt 2118 Collective Hunt 3119 Collective Hunt 4120 Collective Hunt 5121 This Is Just the Beginning122 I've Been Bitten!123 Retaliation124 The Assassin's Career125 Half Thunder, Half Shadow126 The Creed of the Assassin127 First Round Clash 1128 First Round Clash 2129 Golden Fish Glue130 Anthony's Test131 Colorful Soup132 North Star One Blade Style133 Ultimate Holy Flame134 Qualification135 Elisha?136 Double Edge137 The Real Reason138 Probing139 A Grand Gift140 The 10,000 Hour Rule141 The Fiery Orange Staff142 The Regional Defense Collaboration Mission143 The Tavern?144 Ambushed145 The War of the Ancient Trees146 The Strange Forest147 The Elves 1148 The Elves 2149 Friends of the Forest150 The Collapse of the Shield-Sword Fighter151 The Original Circumstances152: Eavesdropping153 Chaos154 Revenge 1155 Revenge 2156 The Bloodstained Necklace157 The Legacy of Old Fordring158 Debt159 We Are the Forgotten160 The Path of the Lich161 Total War162 The Ultimate Darkness163 The Secret of Inheritance 1164 The Secret of Inheritance 2165 contemptuous166 Exploring the Secret Realm 1167 Exploring the Secret Realm 2168 Exploring the Secret Realm 3169 Exploring the Secret Realm 4170 Exploring the Secret Realm 5171 Exploring the Secret Realm 6172 The Gaze of Death173 The Glorious City174 The Magical Furnace 1175 The Magical Furnace 2176 The Magical Furnace 3177 The Levels of Zonderick178 Those Arrogant179 Lies180 Spark of Inspiration 1181 Spark of Inspiration 2182 Spark of Inspiration 3183 The First Magical Tattoo in History184 The Kania War Song 1185 The Kania War Song 2186 The Kania War Song 3187 The Kania War Song 4188 The Kania War Song 5189 The Kania War Song 6190 Swallowing the Sky 1191 Swallowing the Sky 2192 The Lich's Body 1193 The Lich's Body 2194 The Path of Justice195 The Cocoon of Life 1196 The Cocoon of Life 2197 The Seed of Life198 Essence199 You Go Down First200 Lies201 Model202 Dark Nest203 Succubus Royalty204 Chaos Descends!205 Spell Mirror206 How Do We Win?207 Extermination 1208 Extermination 2209 Extermination 3210 The Language of Devils211 The Gate of Devils212 The Fall213 Remembrance214 Summary of Alfred's Speech215 A High-Stakes Gamble216 The Seminar 1217 The Seminar 2218 The Eve219 On Stage 1220 On Stage 2221 On Stage 3222 What is a Genius?223 Going Home224 A Display of Strength 1225 A Display of Strength 2226 First Mithril Knight227 I Know the Way Home228 Pioneer Knight229 Hypocrisy!230 Dinner Party 1231 Dinner Party 2232 Father's Letter233 Floating Airship 1234 Floating Airship 2235 A Single Glass Down236 The Lawbreaker237 Faro, Here I Come238 Capitalists239 Assassination240 Opportunity241 Chase242 Always Your Friend243 Tea Estate Defense Battle 1244 Tea Estate Defense Battle 2245 Tea House Defense Battle 3246 Funeral 1247 Funeral 2248 Funeral 3249 The Final Judgment 1250 The Final Judgment 2251 Guardian Knight252 Contract Dissolution253 Family Treasury254 Freak255 Ambition256 InvitationChapter 257
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Leaving Master Nahr's magic tower, it was already quite late. The streets were sparsely populated, as this area was distant from the commercial district, making it nearly deserted at this hour.
Passing through a strangely serene park, there was a shortcut leading to Anthony's apprentice laboratory. Ever since Charlie discovered this path, he had been drawn to the park's tranquil environment, making it a point to walk this way every time to relieve stress and lift his spirits.
Today's intense practice had left Charlie feeling somewhat fatigued, and he hadn't eaten dinner yet, his stomach grumbling from hunger. However, the feeling of accomplishment made it all worthwhile.
Charlie stretched and turned a corner, only to see a shadow darting toward him.
Ah!
The two collided, with Charlie being knocked back by the other person's head and arm against his chest. He stumbled slightly, while the other person was sent backward, landing on the ground with a thud, a white item drifting down from her hand.
It was a beautiful girl, somewhat familiar to him, but after a day of mental exertion, Charlie couldn't immediately recall where he had seen her before.
He extended his right hand, "I'm sorry, I bumped into you. Are you alright?"
The girl appeared to have been crying heavily, her eyes red and puffy, looking somewhat lost. She shook her head gently, not accepting Charlie's kindness, and got up by herself.
Charlie picked up the white item and, glancing at it, realized it was a piece of sketch paper with a portrait drawn on it. He was taken aback.
What a coincidence!
It was the same draft that David had shown him, complete with the lines Charlie had corrected. In the upper left corner of the portrait, he could see some flowing inscriptions: "To the beautiful Miss Mia."
No wonder this girl looked familiar; she was the girl David was pursuing. She didn't seem happy at all—had someone bullied her?
Charlie handed the draft back to her, casually complimenting, "Wow! This is beautifully drawn! The artist must really like you!"
"Thank you! I don't want it anymore," Mia said, her lips forming a bitter curve as she spoke quietly, turning to leave.
Charlie's heart sank, an ominous premonition washing over him. He sighed, "It's such a nice drawing; why would you throw it away? If people find out, it would be so sad!"
Mia's body trembled slightly, but she didn't stop, quickly vanishing from sight.
At that moment, Charlie heard another set of brisk footsteps approaching from behind.
Turning around, he saw a handsome young man he didn't recognize. His apprentice badge indicated he was a second-year student. There weren't many people visiting the park at this time, and since he and Mia were coming from the same direction, it was very likely related to her unusual reaction.
The young man noticed Charlie's scrutinizing gaze and smiled slightly, "Hello, Mr. Charlie!"
Charlie calmly tucked the sketch paper into his palm and casually asked, "Who are you?"
"I'm Jacob, a second-year student. I've heard your story and admire your courage, Mr. Charlie."
"Thanks."
The two nodded at each other and went their separate ways.
There was definitely something going on!
Charlie furrowed his brow slightly and turned his steps toward the points market. The fastest way to find someone was through the message feature of the points platform, sending a direct message to the apprentice badge.
"It's late; you spent 5 points to summon me for what?" Donald asked curiously, clearly more interested in why Qian Jue had also come.
"I need you two to help me investigate someone: Jacob, a second-year student. I want to know what he's been up to lately. Is he pursuing any girls? Has he been making any moves?"
Qian Jue asked, "What do you want to check him for?"
"Is he from a notable family or something?"
Qian Jue nodded, pondering, "He's not bad, the son of Duke Soren, born late in his parents' lives, so he's quite favored. This guy is quite the tyrant in his second year; do you have a grudge against him?"
Charlie shook his head, saying, "He might be doing something against my friend, and I want to find out what he's been doing behind the scenes."
Donald inquired, "Is it urgent?"
"Yes, very urgent! The sooner, the better!"
The next day, Charlie continuously received messages from the two, relaying information from their respective channels.
Details about Jacob's background, his social circle at the academy, his elective courses, personal abilities, and recent interactions were compiled into one place for Charlie. As he learned more about Jacob, he felt he was getting closer to understanding his motives.
Just as Charlie was hesitating on whether to reveal yesterday's encounter to David as a warning, Colin rushed over.
He opened with, "Charlie, my brother is in trouble; he got into a conflict with a second-year student. Can you help take a look?"
The ominous feeling had come true; this guy was incredibly swift!
Charlie sprang to his feet, hurriedly following Colin out, quickly arriving at the scene. The conflict had occurred in the resting area of the points market, a public place, and Charlie could smell the distinct scent of conspiracy.
It was peak time, and a crowd of students had gathered to watch the commotion, surrounding the two parties involved in the argument. It took a considerable effort for them to squeeze through.
David appeared somewhat tense, forcing a smile as he said, "Mia, I want to ask you directly: is what Jacob said true? Is he trying to sow discord? This guy has a bad reputation."
Mia coldly interrupted him, "The facts are right in front of us; why ask more?"
In that instant, one could almost hear a heart shattering.
David's entire demeanor deflated, his expression turning grim as his sorrowful gaze fell upon the girl.
Indeed! The facts were right there, so why ask more?
Mia's clothing looked somewhat disheveled, a button on her shirt had come undone, revealing wrinkled fabric and uneven curves; her movements were awkward, her legs slightly apart, her back trembling as if she were enduring some indescribable pain.
This was not the usual Mia. She typically took pride in her appearance, her clothes—even if old—were always clean and neatly worn. This was entirely out of character.
David's heart tightened sharply, struggling to ignore the shocking details he didn't want to acknowledge, yet his eyes couldn't help but capture more and more distressing details.
Her eyes were slightly puffy, reddened, and on her pale neck was a purplish-red mark—obviously a hickey.
"What exactly happened? Just tell me!" David's voice was strained and hoarse, like a dormant volcano ready to erupt.
"I have a man now!"
The crowd gasped collectively. To be honest, such things weren't uncommon in the Arcane Ring, but to expose it in public was still shocking.
Charlie exhaled heavily, finally understanding Jacob's ruthless tactics. This guy was indeed decisive in his cruelty. Even though Charlie had identified the problem, he didn't have time to resolve it.
It was entirely normal for women to seek men, but using his brother as a failed love triangle and exposing him to the public humiliation was beyond excessive!
A flush crept onto Colin's face, his teeth grinding together, rage burning fiercely within him.
"When did this happen?" David clenched his fists so tightly that his nails dug into his palms, fresh blood oozing between his fingers.
"Last night."
"Who is he?" Though David had guessed the answer, he insisted on hearing it spoken aloud.
Mia remained silent.
"Who else do you think it could be?" Jacob stepped closer, blocking Mia.
Mia's expression was filled with disdain, pain, fear, and humiliation; her eyes were tightly shut, hot tears streaming down her cheeks.
Jacob sighed lightly, casually stating, "David, you were the first to pursue Mia, and you've been at it for about a month, right? Guess how long it took me?
One week; just one week! For me, it was really too easy! It also shows that your approach is outdated. Sending drawings? What good does that do? Can it fill a stomach?
But honestly, Mia is really something! Absolutely delicious, pure and unadulterated. Tsk tsk! I can't get enough of her; once is definitely not enough. I… last night…"
"Go to hell!" David let out a beast-like roar and swung a punch at Jacob.
Jacob seemed to have anticipated this move, dodging with a side step, smirking disdainfully, "Look at you! You can't even win a fight, you're nothing but a waste!"
"You're asking for it!" Colin charged forward like a lion but was grabbed back by Charlie.
Among the onlookers were several men in black uniforms, keeping a close watch on the situation, ready to intervene. They were enforcement officers from the academy's disciplinary committee, and it appeared they had been bought off by Jacob; otherwise, they should have dispersed the crowd long ago, yet they allowed the conflict to escalate to this level.
"Calm down; fighting won't solve anything and will only lead to academy punishment. If you want to regain your dignity, let's settle this with an honor duel!" Charlie fixed his gaze on Jacob, his sharp glare making Jacob feel uneasy. As he pulled out a white handkerchief and handed it to David, he added, "Before you resort to such underhanded tactics, did you ever consider whether you can withstand our wrath?"
Jacob sneered, "What's this? Mr. Charlie is trying to play the hero? What stance do you have?"
His expression bore a hint of bravado, a façade that concealed his apprehension.
David took the handkerchief and angrily threw it at Jacob's feet. "I, David Gasta, hereby challenge Jacob to an honor duel at the Arcane Ring's Libra Arena at three o'clock this afternoon. The rules are free, and life and death are irrelevant!"
Colin chimed in, "If you're too afraid to accept, I'll use my magical mirror to broadcast this across the entire academy, letting everyone know you're a coward!"
"Fine, let's do this, but not today. Three days from now, at ten in the morning, I'll be waiting for you in the duel arena," Jacob said dismissively, turning to leave.
"Good! Don't let me not see you in three days!" David shouted at Jacob's retreating back.
Charlie knew the next few days would be crucial for both David and Mia. He would do everything he could to prepare his friend for the coming duel, ensuring he had every advantage. He was determined to protect his friends and confront whatever schemes Jacob had in mind.
As he left the scene, Charlie couldn't shake the feeling that this was just the beginning of a far more complex conflict, one that would test the bonds of friendship and loyalty in ways they never expected.
Editor — AlphaNovel Writer