Sera looked at the girls and specifically the one who had spoken and she fell on her knees as she started crying. She could only shake her head and Kaelen grit his teeth because his scheme had been uncovered. Seeing their reaction, she could tell that what the kid had said was true and everyone here had lied to her.
She looked at the boy and saw his state and her face slightly flushed because she had never seen a male's body up close. This was not to mention how toned he had become and also the soot that gave some sort of effect. Also, seeing so much of a male's body had effect on her but she quickly suppressed it and looked at him logically.
If he had survived this long without cultivation and by climbing trees, there ought to be wounds on him. It also explained his toned body.
She bent and lifted his white hair off his face and saw the scar and she could only imagine how difficult it was for a kid who was stranded in the woods alone. Surviving this long would be what people called a miracle.
She looked at his hands and saw how sooty they were and she realized that he might have had it too hard for his age. This made her fume as she looked at those behind her releasing her stage nine aura that made even Kaelen flinch. She wondered why it had turned this way because Kaelen used to be a good guy when she joined the academy.
She touched his hand and felt his pulse and it was slow. She checked his breathing and it was ragged and strained. She stood up and gave commands as they set up a camp immediately.
If the kid died, their academy was going to lose its reputation and they would be forced to reveal that their disciples had attacked a non- cultivator. A child even.
***
Lyren actually passed out and the next moment he woke up, he could feel some linen beneath him. He opened his eyes slowly and looked around.
He realized he was in a tent and he had been covered half way. Also, he had a shirt and below, he could feel pants. This relieved him more because there were actually people with conscience in this world.
He sat up slowly and when he looked around, he saw the girl who had betrayed him standing at the entrance. She had a guilty look as she clutched on to her robes with both hands. She then cracked up and then apologized.
"Sorry," was all she managed before she left running and Lyren definitely saw her tears.
He contemplated on whether it was good to escape alone but there still things he had to do. After all, he could not leave his father's sword. He wanted to go out and check the state of things but it was just in time before the leader came and stood at the entrance.
"Have you come to ask why I beat up your friend?" Lyren asked sarcasm laced in his voice and this made the girl chuckle.
"You actually do have a sharp tongue," she said and Lyren only looked at her accusingly. Now that he knew that he had some leverage...
"How come when I have been punished for being a peasant? I don't even know whether you cultivators are to be trusted anymore," he spoke with a meek and weak tone that caused the lady to turn serious.
"I understand where you are coming from and I don't know how we can make it up to you. Could you please let this remain a secret between us?" She asked and this made Lyren laugh.
"Would it not be better if I was silenced for good? After all, my mom already thinks that I am dead. No one would even come chasing after a peasant who had wandered recklessly into the woods and your secrets would forever remain among you as disciples," Lyren said with his hands opened.
The girl sighed realized that Lyren was not just anyone. He was the non-cultivator who had survived the woods all by himself.
"And here I thought that you were going to be grateful…"
"I am grateful. All I am concerned with is the fact that my fate is in the hands of cultivators who have tortured and threatened to end me. I am actually traumatized."
Sera now realized that this Lyren boy was not going to be easy to deal with. He was not even asking for compensation or punishment to his tormentors. He was too good with his words and he knew how to rub it in where it hurt most.
He was not asking for anything and he was waiting for her to ask him what he wanted. She really felt like she was playing in his hands but she had no choice.
"Then how can we prove ourselves worthy of your trust?" She asked after a sigh. There was silence as she expected him to ask gold or any valuables or even for Kaelen's head.
"What I want is simple. I need you to help me join your academy. With your status, I think it is very easy for you to make a recommendation. I might have been aspiring to be a farmer but now, I feel like I might achieve my potential if I were to join the academy," Lyren said as he stared at her directly in the eyes.
Sera was caught off guard by his request because it was outrageous. Because he knew she was the number one, he had decided to exploit her by making use of her annual recommendations.
She did not know how he knew so much but she could only recommend two people per year. It was already the next recruitment in a few weeks and she had already decided who she was going to recommend.
"If its not possible then I guess I have no choice. If the world learns that your academy top disciples are nothing but bullies, I want to see how you are going to overcome it. Don't glare at me. I am also trying to secure my future the same way you are also trying to secure yours. You can't blame me," Lyren did not hold back and neither did he look away.
Sera grit her teeth as she heard his words. Did he have to make things this hard for her? She stared daggers and realized the kid was somewhat annoying.
"If its not possible, you can go ahead and kill me so that your secret can remain a secret forever. Also, I need you to ensure my safety until I leave this wilderness.
"With your status, I know its not difficult. It is just that you are unwilling or you think that you could just get rid of me if I am outrageous but I warn you that I am like a cockroach and I won't die easily," Lyren spoke as his turn to clench his fist came. If he could twist her heart, then he was going to make it to the academy.
"I can promise the second request but not the first one. Even if you were to get the recommendation, there is a test that you must pass for you to join. If you were to fail, I would have wasted my recommendation on you and I will look bad for taking it away and giving it to a loser…" She protested.
Lyren realized that it was working he saw his chance.
"Do you still think that I am a loser after surviving the hits from stage eight cultivators? My time here has hardened my body and I can promise that I am not going to fail," Lyren spoke confidently and the girl looked at him with a horrified gaze as though she had just realized something.
Lyren felt his heart almost stop when he saw her look and it appeared that he had finally given himself away. He could not help but feel it was familiar to when he was about to enter the hall only to get ejected. Well, if worse came to worse, he would cause chaos and then he would escape.
He sighed as the girl finally spoke.