"Wait... Now everyone, hold your horses. Don't misunderstand… we are all human beings and we ought to live in peace with each other.
"You don't have to resort to violence this fast and you may all tell me your complaints. I am an angel who has been sent to deliver you all the good news. Life does not end at the academy.
"You don't have to be dependent in order to be successful in this life. There are many successful people put there who did not succumb to their fate.
"There is still hope for you all. If you diligently sell your quota, I think the academy will give you scraps and you could use them to advance.
"If I were in your position, I would have already accepted that and head out to start a life. You have all developed tunnel vision and you think that if you don't get the resources, you have no future.
"Listen to me and leave he academy and go grab your futures for yourself. You are miserable and bitter because you think the academy is your savior. Can't you all see that you are being abused?
"I have another proposition. If you were to…"
"Shut the fuck up! What do you know? Eh! Do you think a non-cultivator like you with some money can understand the struggles of being a cultivator?"
The guy asked between gritted teeth. He was leading the attack and it seemed they did not care about the rules against non-cultivators.
They had been insulted.
Claire thought that Lyren was empathetic but he was proving that he was more of a bully who just happened to have emotional intelligence.
He had started off well and even the crowd had stopped thinking he was going to say something important or try to buy time but...
What a foul mouth!
Pointing out the fact that they were fighting for scraps was a hot rod through their chests and no one would take such an insult lying.
To make matters worse, they did not sense his cultivation and so they felt he was just making fun of them. His words alone drove them mad as some pulled their hair as though they were going insane
The frustration was catching up to them and he was right. They did not know anything other than being students. They had been born and looked up to joining the academy.
Their dreams had been fulfilled but their talent had failed them. They were about to become rejects and that was something their minds could not make peace with.
They cursed and they wanted the guy leading them to make a move and they would clobber this teenage couple to death.
"Go to hell!" The student shouted as he attacked with his sword.
Lyren jumped sideways and the guy had his vision focused only on him. Like a raging bull, he attacked with the anger and he was just in the middle of the line to developing intent to kill.
Seeing that the guy attacked, the crowd too attacked a some headed directly towards Claire. The observers sighed.
The kid had brought this upon himself. He had poured too much salt on the injury and he was going to pay dearly. Just then, the rumors of Lady Sera's appearance reached the crowd and a path opened up.
The attacking students all paused and they turned to look at Lady Sera and they felt mixed feelings.
She was stronger than the majority of them here and she was the epitome of the talent they all wanted.
She was only fourteen which meant that even Vyl was too small for her. They somehow hated her but they wanted her to deal with this situation.
The guy seeing Lady Sera quickly put his sword away as he threw his accusation.
"Lady Sera, today a non-cultivator has come to our academy and made trouble. He has used his foul mouth to insult the entirety of us all. We implore you to do us justice.
"You are just in time as we were about to capture him. He appears to be a rich, useless young master," the guy did not hold back his complaint and everyone agreed with him.
What he had said was the truth even the observers agreed with. A useless young master was very common but having one with a foul mouth like the kid was rare.
Somehow, Lady Sera had a bad feeling about this. Why was she getting a déjà vu? A non-cultivator?? More like a commoner? And these fools had been attacking him.
Did they not know the penalty of attacking a commoner? She did not want to call them trash but she also knew that they were the academy trash. Now she was curious who this useless young master was.
Her eyes moved slowly and the blue robes certainly were of nobility definitely a young master. White hair was ominous to her and she could only pray that her worst fears were not realized.
Who was this kid and why was he looking away. It seemed he had a lover of his as they were wearing matching outfits.
Teenage romance.
"Turn around and let me see which useless young master dares insult students of my academy," Lady Sera's voice was commanding and the kid was reluctant almost as though defiant.
"I said turn around!" This time she raised her voice and many people realized that she was getting mad.
Claire felt Lady Sera's gaze on her and she did not dare stare back as she was scrutinized. Her feminine instinct screamed enemy and when she decided to meet her eyes, the sparks rattled in the air as their eyes seemed to turn towards Lyren who was facing away.
Lyren was cornered. The moment he heard them address Lady Sera he knew that he was done for. This was a reason he was hesitant to come to the academy region.
Now his worst fear was being realized. He ignored her first command but her second one sent him a cold shiver. He could not afford to ignore her again.
His mind quickly strategized and came up with the perfect solution. He turned around with a foolish grin on his face and Sera took an instant to recognize him and he could see the change in her eyes.
She already knew there was no winning this and a headache was coming along.
"You… How?" Julia asked the question Sera had kept to herself and Lyren quickly got his act together.
Lyren knew exactly how to play the victim especially to Sera. He ran towards her and fell on his knees at her feet which caused her eyes to widen.
Even Claire was surprised by this reaction. Could it be that the kid had gotten cold feet? Or was this shamelessness?
"Ooh, her excellency Lady Sera! I am delighted to finally meet you in person. I have been waiting for ages but I never thought that we would meet. Fate has done me a favor by bringing me to you and now I can finally rest my case.
"OH supreme! I have survived worst but I have come to realize that the institute I am coming to join is made up of bullies. Oh, trash student, oh trash resources…
"I have refused to buy scraps from your fellow students and I have been attacked. A poor commoner like me has finally managed to enter Vyl City but I have not been able to find peace in the one place I should.
"Oh, her majesty! I happened to give my oh wisdom useless and I was attacked. I was honestly telling them to leave the academy and now I am an enemy.
"I beg you help them understand that they have no place in the academy and they should go try build a FUTURE for themselves. Als…"
Lyren was silenced when Sera raised her hand.
His eyes met hers and her veil saved her from embarrassment because his act had finally gotten her to smile and since not many dared to look at her directly, no one saw it but Lyren saw the changes in the corners of her eyes and he knew that he was safe.
"Silence!" Sera got her composure back as she raised her voice. The guys clenched their fists and gritted their teeth.
The kid had actually said it again…