|Why was he so light? He is way too light, that's wrong. Something's definitely wrong…|
Right after easily tossing the future hero towards the sky, a sudden thought pierced through the anger clouding Rotsard's mind.
His body did act faster than his brain, and he was already in the air…
"...?!"
Just then, a sudden movement, a wiggle of a shadowy figure, forced him to avert his gaze from the future hero, and his eyes ended up on the group of upperclasmen and widened.
…Justin… was afraid of them…
He flinched when they tossed a piece of paper at him…
…and now that Rotsard realized it, he recognized that those same upperclassmen were going to harass Justin even in the toilet back then…
…were they also the reason for Justin being so light…?
If they couldn't eat in peace, if they were starved, even someone like a future hero wouldn't be able to get stronger, no matter how much they trained…
"!!!"
At that moment, amongst all the students watching the terrifying scene with a battered breath, one of the third years amongst the group of bullies made eye contact with Rotsard, and he immediately turned ghastly pale and lowered his head.
Their fault…
It's not the hero…
IT'S SOME WRETCHED PEASANT-LIKE, USELESS UPSTART NOBLES WHO ARE RUINING HIS EFFORTS AND SACRIFICE!
A brand-new inferno of ice-cold rage flared up within the bleached-blond-haired boy.
How dare they…
HOW, FUCKING, DARE THEY?!
"VALLHALL!"
Before he knew it, Rotsard was already about to intercept the falling Justin, and the teacher below them shouted…
***
The audience gasped, some even screamed and looked away at the moment of impact, but the teacher, with his hand still raised, breathed out in relief…
The next moment, Rotsard landed, his heels leaving trails in the ground as he was losing speed.
"..."
He was gritting his teeth, trying to contain himself.
It wasn't the time to make a scene… not the kind of scene he wanted to, at least.
The confused students looked at each other, staring at the bleached-blond-haired boy holding his battered opponent in his arms, in an almost affectionate embrace.
"It's my loss."
Rotsard said with a grim expression while observing each of Justin's shallow breath caused him to jolt. Now that he carried him like that, the future hero's lacking weight became that much more apparent to him.
"Thank the Grand Fae…! I have never been so happy to be wrong in my life!"
The teacher reached them with a relieved gasp, wiping the sweat off his forehead.
"Teacher, please announce that I lost this duel."
"You… you are something else, aren't you, Student Vallhall?"
Rotsard said, for the first time glancing away from the future hero in his arms, but the teacher wasn't listening and was talking about something completely different.
"Teacher…"
"Oh! Right, of course! You completely overwhelmed your opponent. It's obviously your…"
Rotsard urged the man, causing him to let out an embarrassed gasp and nod vigorously… only flinch and freeze up…
"W-wait… c-could you repeat that, student Vallhall…?"
The teacher shook his head and stuttered, refusing to believe his own ears.
"This duel. It' is my loss. Please announce it."
"..."
Rotsard said again, this time slowly and carefully pronouncing each word, leaving the teacher speechless.
"N-no. Student Vallhall… I don't think that you understand. As a duelist myself, I cannot, with clear conscience, declare that you lost. The difference between the two of you is… is basically like a…"
"Teacher. I cheated, though?"
The man shook his head vigorously and pointed out, but Rotsard shrugged his shoulders and declared, causing him to freeze up.
"...you…?"
The teacher inquired, acting as if he was unable to figure out where exactly the foul play was.
No… it was more like he didn't want to believe that there was something wrong with the duel.
"My blood was spilled first. Twice even, but I continued the duel."
"Wh…? You mean that?! No one in their right mind would count that! It was obvious that it wasn't something caused by student Justin!"
When Rotsard pointed out his fault, the teacher jolted up before immediately refusing to accept the statement.
"Not only that, later on, you were clearly about to end the duel, but I not only ignored your decision but also used the chance to attack my opponent."
"Back then, not only was I about to end the duel in your favor, student Vallhall, but also student Justin wasn't paying attention to me at all. He was focused on you. While you did continue the duel, any reasonable judge would rule that it wasn't a surprise attack on your part."
Rotsard added, but this time the teacher appeared to be adamant about not changing his mind.
"Finally, while I pushed my opponent out of bounds, I immediately went out of bounds myself chasing him. I continued the duel that should have ended right there, and I even went as far as to attack my unconscious opponent. And I would do something even more despicable if your shout didn't bring back my reason."
"..."
Rotsard declared, going as far as to lie about the teacher's call having anything to do with stopping him, and this time it seemed like the man couldn't find a reasonable argument to keep clinging to his decision.
"Please. Announce that it was my loss. And that I cheated. That I displayed a despicable behavior."
"..."
The bleached-blond-haired boy said, making the teacher look away with a troubled expression.
"An example has to be made. A proper one. So that others won't try the same thing… I'll get him to the hospital wing."
Rotsard shrugged his shoulders before looking down at his unconscious opponent.
He was halfway off the training ground when the teacher finally began to address the audience, adhering to Rotsard's instructions.
That's why the bleached-blond-haired boy was booed and exposed to the mockery and snide comments as he was walking back to the Academy building.
"Give him to me, cheater."
He wasn't going to stop, but Amelia Edemsworth crossed his path and demanded. Her glare couldn't be misunderstood. Eyes full of disgust were staring daggers into the bleached-blond-haired boy.
"..."
Rotsard froze up for a moment and blinked.
His eyes darted from Amelia's face to her arms reaching out for the future hero, then back, and back again.
…her body wasn't giving off the faint glow, which meant that she wasn't using any strengthening spells… was… was her unwavering confidence in the ability to carry the unconscious boy rooted in her self-confidence or…
…did she know how little Justin weighed…?
"I don't know and don't care what you want to do. Give him to me. A deranged cheater like you isn't worthy to…"
As Amelia kept running her mouth, Rotsard was becoming acutely aware of how terribly malnourished Justin had to be…
…and she knew…?
She knew and did nothing?
With her eye for talent and the ability to bring out the potential she was so proud of, she didn't do a thing…?
"...to-WAH?!"
*WHOOSH*
Amelia was in the middle of a hateful rant when something pulled her back. She let out a confused cry only to get buffeted by a gust of wind so strong it jolted her head back…
*thump*
"E-eeh…? What the…?"
She fell on her but and called out in confusion, not understanding what happened.
When she looked back with a frown, she saw the two fox-eyed students, one red-haired and the gray-haired classmate of hers, sprawled on the ground behind her.
The red-haired one, especially, was out of breath and drenched in sweat, refusing to look her way.
Why would they embarrass her like that?! That guy, Felix Fallrain, if Amelia's memory served her right, he better not try to look her in the eyes after that!
"You! How dare you…!"
The agitated girl sucked in some air, about to go off on the pair of extremely rude cousins, but…
"!!!"
Felix glanced at her, but then his eyes darted above her shoulder, and his body trembled so much that he looked ready to fall apart, and cowered. His chin trembled, as if he was about to burst into tears from sheer fear.
And the realization hit her.
He wasn't ashamed of his actions towards her…
"Tsk."
"...eh…?"
When a sound of someone clicking their tongue behind Amelia's back reached her, the girl let out a baffled sound and turned around, where the downwards glare of beastly yellow eyes full of disgust and hate awaited her...
Before she could utter another word, Rotsard passed her in silence. She glanced after him, but as she looked back, her eyes were drawn to the spot that the bleached-blond-haired boy stopped in because of her.
There was a rather obvious imprint in the ground…
"...!"
Amelia's eyes widened, and her body got covered in goosebumps as she shivered.
"My Lady… p-please, don't do that again…! Do not confront… do not even talk to that person…!"
Her gray-haired classmate urged the girl, short of breath.
"...he… he wasn't holding back…! Th-that kick…! If it c-connected… It… it would blow your head clean off…!"
The red-haired boy mumbled while trembling like a leaf in the wind, not daring to even glance in the general direction of the leaving Rotsard.
"N-nonsense…! Even that trash wouldn't dare! He… eh…?"
Amelia cleared her throat and tried to play it cool, but after she scoffed and tried to stand up… she realized that her legs turned into jelly… she couldn't stand up at all.
She might have tried to act all she wanted and run her mouth however she pleased, but there was no escaping the reality.
Her body knew she almost died just then, and her motor functions shut down.