After leaving Master Nahr's magic tower, it was already quite late. The streets were deserted, and this area was far from the commercial district, making it nearly devoid of people 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 take this route 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 growling with hunger. Nonetheless, 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 object 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 and 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 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 held 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 the latter 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 position 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 open, 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 replied dismissively, turning to leave.
"Good! Don't let me not see you in three days!" David shouted at Jacob's retreating back.
As the tension hung in the air, Charlie could sense that a storm was brewing. The upcoming duel would not only be a test of strength but also a trial of character and loyalty. Charlie resolved to do everything he could to prepare David for the encounter, knowing that they would need every ounce of courage and determination to face the challenges ahead.
The events of the day had set a chain of reactions into motion, and Charlie could only hope that they would emerge on the other side stronger and united. The stakes were high, and with the shadows of betrayal and heartbreak looming overhead, it was clear that the battle for honor was just beginning.