After punching Lincoln away, Leon ran away from the scene. Some kids who had gathered around them were surprised to see the fight and were excitedly cheering, but seeing how Leon fled the scene, they started booing, Lincoln touched his face, which still bore a slight sting of pain and glanced at everyone around him.
Never in his mind did he thought that some maggot with a low class would dare lay his hands on him, that too in front of so many people, at the event which was hosted by royal family.
"What're you looking for get out of here, or do you want me to teach y'all a lesson on minding your own damn business." Hermann spoke in anger causing everyone gathered around to run away.
"Don't worry, we'll get that bumpkin." Edward spoke, while patting his shoulder, his eyes kept darting around the area surveying for any sign of Leon, but the little rat managed to run and hide somewhere in the crowd of kids gathered in the hall.
"Who was he? How dare he lay his hands on me." Lincoln said, while clenching his fists in anger. If his brother found he got beaten by some stupid country bumpkin in front of so many people, he couldn't imagine what kind of horrors he would have to go through.
The only way to save his image now, would be to beat that bumpkin back so bad that no one would remember how he managed to punch him first.
But he had no idea who that was, the kid was practically wearing normal clothes (normal here means nothing fancy of his standards) , he was acting like this was the first time in his life he ever saw something like this or ate something. Just remembering how that kid looked more anger surged in him, as he thought it was just some poor bastard of some noble or worse some guard or shadow of someone else.
"He's Leonard Heartwell." Hermann replied, as he approached them.
He didn't show anything on his face, but he was clearly the only one happy with this development. Unlike these kids who didn't know anyone, and only judged people based on clothes or brooches they had to show their family symbols, his father had made him remember everyone's faces before coming here.
Hermann had no idea about Lincoln as he belonged to the branch family of Korbil's. But since Edward was the son of Count and possible future heir too, he identified him at a glance. That's why he was very happy when he saw Leon start to argue with someone from Count Sinclair's family. And seeing how Edward was treating Lincoln as friends, he could guess he wasn't some ordinary kid too.
If he could use these kids to start a drama that can drag Heartwell's name to mud, he couldn't imagine how happy his father would be.
That's why instead of stopping the overgrowing drama he instead took part in it and fueled Leon's anger further by taking shots at him from side.
Though seeing how the rat he laid a trap for, managed to slip away, he was a little disappointed. But it wasn't a big deal. He could just tell his background to these rich kids and lthey'll find him soon enough. There's no way these sheltered boys could take a bruise to their ego and let it go.
"Heartwell, that Baron's family." Edward said with a sneer, "That explains his bumpkin behavior."
Even though Heartwell's were given the title of Baron, it was widely known in upper circles that they were the poorest and lowest of all the other nobility. Hell even other Baron's who had similar status were far superior to them, let alone comparing it to a Count ranked family.
(In the novel, it was written like this, maybe cause author wanted to make Heartwell's rise in power later to show how protagonist made them reach from lowest to highest point. Or maybe it was because of the current head of House Heartwell, who believed in those righteous philosophies, and in turn was basically doing free labour for the king willingly.
Heartwell's were stronger before, but after taking the charge to maintain the Eisjer domain, they've only manage to dwindle lower and lower.
Mainly because of how where Hermann's family, house Meismat focused on harvesting the profits by whatever means necessary. Heartwell's took the ignorant way of acting like heroes. Sacrificing themselves for the king, who gave little to no shit about them.)
"Let's go. We'll find him and I'll show him his standing. How dare that _ "
Hearing the words of Edward and Hermann, Lincoln spoke, while walking away. If before some sane part of his brain was telling him not to create a drama at this party, then after hearing who that guy really was, it stopped working too.
'Dam that bastard, I have to find him faster before he reaches the main hall.' Lincoln thought, knowing if Leon managed to join everyone in the main hall, he wouldn't be able to do anything. While looking around for the little twerp, he kept thinking how he'd beat the crap out of him.
Edward called for some of his friends and together they all started looking through the hall for him. Looking at them, searching and checking all the black haired kids, a smile came to Hermann's face.
He imagined the scene of Leon getting ganged up by everyone. He had no enmity with him, but knowing how both their families were on opposing sides. And how in the future both of them would be sitting on their family head's positions. It was wise for him to do everything that can make his path to power smoother.
Just like Rio, he believed in crushing problems at the core too. Why let them grow when u can stop their growth in the ground.
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Unaware of how his little stunt put him in the crosshairs of other noble kids, Leon was silently sipping on his banana shake.
He felt angry at them and so he punched him. He would've fought more, but thinking about the event around him, he left the scene. It took a while for him to calm down, after all no one can talk bad about his mother.
His mother had been sick and comatose for years now. His father had tried everything to save her, but nothing seems to be working. One day he heard his uncle speaking with his father, about how his mother was cursed by someone evil and only the Royal Family could possibly have a cure that can save her.
That's why his father's been working extra hard for years, trying to get the King's attention and favor. But Leon didn't know that. In his eyes he never saw his father talking or asking help from the king, and that's why he came to this party, he wanted to ask them to save his mother himself.
Since he couldn't meet the king or demand anything from him, he decided to ask the princess for help. Since it was princess's birthday, he was sure the king wouldn't refuse his daughter if she asked for something.
'I just have to make the princess agree. Then I can ask my request.'
Leon thought, as he clutched the gift he prepared for the princess in his hands.
He was unaware of how his dreams and gift, which were supposed to make the princess happy and admire him, would only end up making her annoyed, because of a certain someone's little interference in the story.
"But how do I meet the princess, when I don't even know where she is or who she is? I searched the whole hall but couldn't find her." Leon said while scratching his head.
(Ohh by the way, his search here means while he roamed, played, enjoyed the magic shows and tried all foods, he didn't just magically bump into the princess walking around.)
'What if no one helped me, I'll find her on my own and ask for her help. Father said she's a kind and beautiful girl just like big sis, so I'm sure she'll help me once she knows about my mother. Today even if the heavens and gods are against it, I will save my mother at all costs. No one can stop me.'
Leon thought and stood up with a determined expression. "Well, no point sitting here. I'll go look for her everywhere again."
He didn't have much time as the party would soon end. But as he turned around to 'search' again, he bumped into someone, splashing the banana shake that he held in his hands on the other party.
"Ohh sorry. I didn't see you."
Leon said, in a hurry looking at the black haired boy standing in front of him, whose whole suit was covered in white juice now.
"Wait, I'll clean it in a moment." His friend said, standing beside him.
"Are you blind?" The black haired boy spoke in anger, looking at Leon.
Leon cursing his luck, thinking why didn't he just drink the glass or put it back when he was about to leave. "My bad, let me help you." He said and picked a tissue from the table and started wiping the suit.
"What do you think you're doing, you idiot? I was about to use water magic to clean everything, and now it's dried and left a stain."
A boy said, who was standing beside the black haired boy. He was just about to use his magic to clean away the liquid but this dumb hobo wiped it all away. And now only big stains of white remained on his friend's suit, making lines looking like the fricking map of Schilla.
Hearing his words, the anger of the black haired boy grew to a whole new level, as now he had to go back and change into something else again. If by some miracle he found something good to wear in this party.
"My bad, I was just trying to help, I didn't…" Leon wanted to apologize for his mistake, but his words were cut short as a loud slap reverberated in the area.
"How dare you put your hands on me. Do you even know who I am?"
(This was the moment Rio came there and found the protagonist. Then he went to the balcony with Amelia, to see the drama unfold further.)
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A/N - so what do u think protagonist's gift is? Or how would princess react to it? Will the other kids looking for Leon find him too. Is he gonna get his ass handed to him, or will someone drop from heavens to save him..
The source of this c𝓸ntent is fr𝒆e(w)𝒆bnovel