Either he became the first or the second, Baston had successfully advanced. Right at the moment, the fat boy had the highest score with 13 points. The runner-up was the first noble boy with 12 points. Since he was disqualified earlier, his score couldn't go up anymore which meant he had to give the best position to Baston. Gnashing his teeth, the boy could only blame for his carelessness. He could only hope the other two teammates who were still in the arena gave up or just waited until the time went up. Still, would everyone simply think like him?
Human's greed was insatiable. The two people who were still staying in the arena started having another thought. The deal was indeed kicking Baston so he wouldn't advance to the next round. By then, their boss would then lead the fight into a small drama so people wouldn't scold them
harshly for manipulating this round. That was a good plan, but the reality eventually didn't head into what they expected. Their boss was disqualified earlier and since the mission failed, they would think they didn't need to follow him again.
"Principal, do you think these 2 participants will take advantage of their situation or not?"
"Ms. Claire, I think you already know the answer. You don't need to guess anymore…"
"Yes…" Claire chuckled.
In the reserved VIP room, Principal Viral sat looking at the magic monitor while Claire from Versance family also did the same thing. Since the woman knew Baston from the auction event, she tried to look more into him. The fat boy was from the poor class and his fate should be locked, however it changed suddenly when he awakened his ice element. This thing was very rare and
almost wouldn't occur because only her big family that could inherit it. Still, it already happened and she as the part of ice wizard wouldn't let Baston go away easily. The family wanted to look further and so; Claire was sent here in order to monitor the fat boy closely.
If the fat boy was promising, then she would give an irresistible offer to him. Money and authority were not a problem since they
already had it. Baston as strong boy certainly not only needed much resources, but also a very beautiful girl as his partner. History already proved that many men seek more beautiful women since they already gained power and money during their lives. As a man, they wouldn't only show off their strength and rich to the world, but also displayed their beautiful partner so every man would be jealous over his success. Claire believed Baston would be weak in front of many beautiful girls.
Unfortunately, Baston had already guarded tightly since he came first to this world. In the event of meeting the so-called Alicia's
boyfriend, he felt every beautiful girl or woman in this world would simply invite a trouble in the end. He still remembered about what Clark had been doing in the time of staying at Zeverius Academy. Recently, he also felt getting close to Ms. Pashan would be troublesome to him. If the Versance family still insisted on their own strategy, Baston would simply just shove it off.
In the meantime, the arena was getting more intense. Just like what Principal Viral and Claire predicted from the beginning, the 2 noble boys fought until the end regardless what the plan told them to do. If they did
nothing, both of them would lose with 10 points for their final scores. But if they tried the best, there would be an equal chance to get 15 points which would make one of them to be the winner. Baston who saw it from below the arena could only smirk. His plan unknowingly worked on them.
He didn't need to win the first place since the second one already secured the next round. Rather to be the first one, he chose to see a
joke. The first boy who leading them now was gritting his teeth when he saw both of them fought fiercely, even though their stamina and magic already ran low. If one of them won, then it would spell a doom for him. Just imagining his 12 points would be useless in front of 13 and 15 points, he felt hopeless. He should reach the next round but Baston's plan ruined everything.
The fat boy knew he couldn't get his revenge easily, but he could just simply manipulate their hearts. He left the two of them which providing such big opportunity to win over this round and became the first winner.
Although the plan was good from the beginning, but noble boys like them simply
seek glory and prestige. He knew it because looking at noble's behavior at the academy, most of them were like this. By the time the match finished, one of them won and the result was just like what Baston predicted.
"Now, for the next thing…" he thought while looking at the group.
Just as he thought, the first boy who acting as the boss soon scolded the winner. He simply thought the boy didn't act like what they were planning before. Surely, the winner wouldn't admit it and came with various
excuses.
"It's not my fault. Rather than letting that fatty win the first one, then isn't it better to kick him out?"
"But because of you, I can't go to the next round! Why are you so stupid?"
"Stupid? Then do you want to see that ugly fatty become the first winner? If I let him do that, it will be just like he already tramples
over us!"
"But he still goes to the next round!"
"But he's not the first winner!"
There was a commotion and everyone nearby looked over them. They simply looked like a clown since they kept arguing, looking for who was the messed up one. Each of them found so many excuses without getting into the main problem. One boy said someone was too slow, one boy told everyone that someone couldn't guard Baston well, and another one commented that certain person simply didn't help much. By doing this, they created their own rifts which couldn't be solved shortly.
Since the noble boys were still busy in their conflict, Baston heaved a sigh of relief. Because they were deadlocked for each other, he believed they wouldn't have a time to target him anymore. In the teamwork,
everyone had to trust with each other so they would be confident to work together. However, Baston destroyed their short relationship and right at the moment, he
could say each one of them wouldn't easily believe each other for a second time. The trust they built was already corroded with this simple conflict.
With this, no one should implicate him again in the next round. Baston then walked ahead and after listening to Karte's praise for many
times, he then went back to his room. On the way back, he saw the beautiful woman covered with blue ice magic waiting just in front of the door. Luckily, the area was quite so other than both of them, no one passed this way. He quickly turned around and hid behind the wall but her voice reverberated near his ears.
"Young boy, why you are in a hurry? I just want to talk to you personally so I have been waiting for hours in here…"
"Another woman… another problem…" Baston thought while peeking over her, "What business do you have with me?"
"Do you speak something? I'm sorry I can't hear you clearly. I'm going over there."
The distance was quite far from Baston so at first, he thought Claire could hear and see everything. But once he got the response, it
seemed she could only talk to him but if he wanted to reply, she couldn't hear it clearly. He didn't know whether this was a limit on her ability or because the old book helped him. Anyway, since another great wizard wanted to talk to him personally, he wouldn't dare to face her straightforwardly. Just a couple of seconds later, Baston summoned his puppet and transformed it into him while he himself hid inside the book. Right now, he needed to guard around a great wizard unless they didn't have hidden purpose like Angus.
"I have already seen your fight. It's brilliant to be the winner over the second round," Claire finally walked to Baston, looking at the fat boy smilingly.
"I'm just lucky. If not because I can beat one of them, who knows what will happen to me?" Baston shook his head expressionlessly, "By the way, is there anything I can help you, Great Wizard Claire?"
"No need to call me like that. I'm just a new one so just call me Ms. Claire. May I enter your room? Since it's personal, I don't want
anyone to hear us."
"Alright…"
Baston then unlocked the door and he hurriedly tidied up the best chair he could provide in the room. He wanted to serve the tea but Claire told him he didn't need to do that since she wouldn't be long here. By then, Baston sat and faced her directly. There was no fluctuating emotion expressed on his face since it was just the puppet.
"Baston, I represent my family to invite you…"
"Invite me?"
"Yes, you might already know that ice magic has been ours for many years. We got many resources with many artifacts and books to learn more. I believe if you come to the family, you will be able to advance faster
and stronger in no time."
"But, I'm from a poor class. I will taint the honorable Versance family if I just come in."
"You don't have to worry about that. Surely, our family has big heritage in ice magic so before someone can go to the main family, they will need to prove themselves in order to be eligible for our resources. By then, they can enter and enjoy the wealth we have. Not to mention, we have many amazing and beautiful girls. I'm pretty sure you will be interested on this, right?"
Claire winked but Baston simply didn't show any embarrassment over his face. The woman found it strange but from then on, she kept pushing further. If ordinary men met her face to face, they must be nervous and shy over her beauty. Baston also agreed that having beauty to discuss would result the best one. Fortunately, he used the puppet to confront her so she herself couldn't see any opening. All in all, she kept throwing enticing
promise yet Baston never agreed to join the family.
When Claire asked what was his decision, Baston knew he couldn't escape easily. He could only ask for more time to consider since he was just out of the arena and being tired would cloud his judgment. The woman
didn't make it hard for him so she then excused herself before she quickly disappeared from his sight. Of course, the fat boy didn't come out hurriedly in order to make sure no one monitored him. Until after several minutes, Baston then replaced the puppet with himself and he slopped over the couch.
"I know it will be like this… Since I showed my strength before, it will be just a matter of time before trouble find its own way…" he
thought.
He could delay for a few days at best, but Baston was sure that Claire would keep coming to him until she got what she wanted. It would be very troublesome if he handled this thing poorly. He already decided to join Levan as part of his quest, but this variable came out from nowhere. At the
beginning, he wanted to use this man as an excuse but when he thought it thoroughly, he was afraid the woman would then just go to Levan directly and stated her purpose. As the merchant with less background, Levan couldn't go against her and that would spell the failure of the mission. Baston had already made a successive approach so there was no way he would let such a woman ruined his plan.