NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 123: Declined
"A monster, a terrifying one at that"
Hearing the words from the soft-spoken lady, the young man with the seemingly pessimistic view of the nobles along with them, felt like he couldn't agree any more than he already does with the lady, thinking that the fact alone that this emperor-like young man that they are about to fight is capable of using two elements is already more than enough trouble for them, not to mention that the young man appears to be extremely masterful of the use of said two elements.
"Well, those three doesn't seem to know that you know?" pointing at the three nobles bearing an excited expression on their faces, the seemingly pessimistic young man said with a mocking smile on his face, shaking his head as he never expected that there will be a time in his life where he would voluntarily join forces with people like these three.
"It doesn't really matter, what's important is that they are still additional fire power when dealing with that monster…" the soft-spoken lady said in a serious, completely cold and emotionless tone as her mind spun, thinking of ways that they can deal with their biggest competitor in this trial, someone that might just cause their immediate defeat here should they not take him seriously.
"That's true" the young man replied as he pulls out a long, straight object wrapped around in cloth hanging just on his back, looking at it for a while before carefully unwrapping the cloth with a solemn expression on his face, almost as if whatever it is that he is taking out of the wrap is something that has a worth equivalent to high level artifacts, if not for the fact that what is inside is something not within anyone's expectation at all.
"I don't really want to use this man, what if I break it? What if I just lose it somewhere? Or worse at all, what if someone just straight up steal it from me?" as he continues unwrapping the cloth, the young man remains muttering all while holding the seemingly worshipping expression on his face, making him appear like the personification of being torn between two choices, his words just making the audience all the more curious as to what is it that is wrapped in the cloth, something that they are about to find out any moment now.
For the people watching him unwrap the thing previously on his back, the young man couldn't help but garner their undivided hatred as they felt like they had been betrayed by his expression, what they are feeling being something akin to a friend tricking you to eat something that they said and even promised is good, except it is not good at all and they just want to share to you the burden of eating a terrifying dish, if you can even call that one.
Out from the wrapping of the cloth obscuring whatever it is that is previously inside, a long, straight and seemingly completely solid weapon comes out, not a sword, a spear, a glaive or anything else that can fit the length of the wrapped object, instead, what comes out aa if a pupa shedding from the covers of the cloth being a straight, seemingly well made, yet not too special quarterstaff, just like a well decorated, well carved stick and nothing else at all.
Looking at the young man revealing his own weapon, the soft-spoken lady couldn't help but giggle softly as this is the first time in a while that she witnessed this young man being as serious as he is right now, in fact, it might even be the first time that he goes as serious as the expression currently plastered on his face.
"You're really competitive, aren't you?" not willing to lose against this friend of hers, the lady replies as she draws out her weapon of choice, a peculiar one given that the most common thing that one can regard as weapon are swords, spears, sabers, axes along with all sorts of blunt close-range weapons and sharp, long-range ones, weapons that wouldn't help in classifying whatever weapon it is that the lady is planning to use.
On her hand a handle of a paper umbrella, which isn't anything too abnormal had it not been for the fact that the umbrella's head is floating a few millimeters above its handle, seemingly being controlled by some sort of spell unknown to the amateur prying eyes, a trick that only most of the instructors and academy staff can see through.
"Those two… their magic is not from any nearby lands…"
"Interesting… for someone who come from the far east to take interest in our academy"
"Principal, are you already aware of this?"
Watching not only the soft-spoken young lady but also the seemingly pessimistic young man, one of the instructors asked as they carefully turn their head towards the direction where the volatile beauty of a principal is currently sitting and watching the show, said white-haired beauty snapping out of her focus after a matter of seconds before she starts explaining as if she wasn't caught solely focusing her entire being towards the young man who is soon going to be her own personal student.
"Hmmm? Huh… ah, those two sweethearts huh… yeah, there was a time when I was still exploring outside that I reached the far east, I remember encountering them after saving their little village from a beast tide, and then the two of them approached me without any thought…"
The principal paused for a while as she starts thinking about how she should continue telling the story of this little encounter of hers, her eyes brightening for just a short while before she finally figured out how to tell the rest of the story, her petite, yet still beautiful figure standing up from her seat as she walks towards the edge of their room, feeling like she wasn't close enough to watch and feel whatever it is that is going to happen a few moments from now on.
"I thought they're going to ask for some food or something, but you know what the girl asked? Heh, she asked how she can be as strong as me, and can you believe it? that boy asked something even more audacious, asking how he should train so he can surpass me!!"
"So I told them, when they grow old enough, they should go on a trip to the west and find the Flammenherz Academy to learn all sorts of martial arts and magic with me, haha, kids, the sparkle in their eyes when they heard my answer…" she continues to tell them the possible reason why these two are here, her eyes on the weapon that can be considered rare, even peculiar and unique in this kingdom of theirs who are used to swords, spears and other cold weapons similar to them.
"Hahaha… good times…" the volatile half-draconic beauty ended her words with such, her eyes that of someone who clearly missed something back in her younger years, a look of someone who once again is reminded of how long they are already living on this world.
"That kid is in of a hell lot of beating if he isn't able adapt to that staff and that umbrella at all" Aira mutters with a hint of anticipation on her face, the young man who she fought against during the last part of the entrance exams already well within the five's attacking range, recklessly just charging there higher and making her wonder just what is it that he is planning for him to just mindlessly rush towards the top like that, something that she thought is too out of character for the young man.
Shrugging these thoughts though, the principal, Aria, redirected most of her attention to the two new, possible black horse of this competition, both of them appearing to be already prepared to attack her future disciple, making her feel all the more excited as she even she isn't aware of how the battle between Diluc and the five will turn out.
Meanwhile on the arena, seeing the pessimistic young man and the soft-spoken lady clearly having no plan on properly cooperating with them, the young noble who shouted at Diluc previously once again starts pulling attention to himself, this time acquiring the annoyance of the lady and the young man as they heard his words.
"Okay everyone, listen to me, I have a plan, and you all need to obey the plan exactly so we can eliminate that bastard Diluc!!" the young man proudly declared as he puffs his chest out as if expecting that even just one among these five will completely follow his plan, expecting that at the very least, the two who he thought is definitely not a noble would follow his orders and possibly butter up some favor with him.
An expectation completely contrary to what actually happens as both the young man and the soft-spoken lady were the first to decline his offer, at a near instantaneous speed after the arrogant young noble finished his words.