Chapter 217: Separation IV (Hopeless Hatred)
After searching the same location for a while, Mozrael left, expanding her search area.
It wasn’t long before she felt a powerful force that overwhelmed her senses.
Go there, Agaboz commanded.
Without waiting a second, Mozrael followed the trace of power she sensed.
All she wanted to do was find Aramith, and if Agaboz directed her somewhere, then it had to be related to him.
This thought grew stronger in her mind, causing her to move faster. She flashed past trees like a bullet, feeling the force getting stronger with every second.
Getting closer, she sensed something more.
"Aramith," she muttered, feeling excitement.
She finally saw the source of the force—a strange, looking crack that opened to darkness.
She could feel Aramith’s presence from there, but at the same time, it looked frightening.
"Aramith?"
The crack hissed then closed right before she could approach it, leaving no trace.
All the power that was being released from it disappeared as well.
"He was here..."
She felt saddened, but hopeful.
"Help me find him." Agaboz remained silent, but didn’t respond yet. He agreed to help, and he’d only do that by assisting her efforts, not solving her problem.
Aramith stared at the spot where the crack should have been, his hand hanging in the air, as if he could still touch it if he reached out.
Mai looked at him, then floated forward, but there was nothing.
She paused, observing his expression, before slowly asking. "You...felt that, right?"
Aramith remained still for a moment, closing his eyes in thought. When he opened them, there was a hint of certainty and resolution in his eyes.
"It was Mozrael, and I know she felt my presence."
He turned to the puppy, thinking of his only goal at the moment.
Open another crack. A bigger crack.
Elsewhere within the academy, Liora sat with her fists clenched so tight that blood had stopped flowing in them for some time.
"That brat! Who does he think he is?"
As a groomed princess who’d looked down on others while appearing as a princess loved by all, this was the first time she was getting embarrassed in such a manner.
And it was just a new student, who was a year or two younger than her. Her ego couldn’t take it.
"And how does he get Father Ilthane to respect him? Isn’t he a banished prince?"
Father Ilthane never bent his back to anyone, so to find him doing something like apologizing to him, Liora just couldn’t accept it. She heard of how Aramith was banished from his kingdom by his own father. A prince who couldn’t behave properly enough that he was disowned by his father was not worth anything. Being stripped of his only bargaining chip, it made no sense how he was able to get into Ilthane’s radar.
"He didn’t even look like he had any respect for The Rector, too. I hate him!"
How could a student receive an apology from the Rector and remain calm without any excitement?
She’d been constantly improving herself just to get accepted by him, so how could a new kid bypass her so easily?
Serin stood by the side, waiting till she was sure she could speak without getting chopped up.
"Maybe it’s because he won the competition for our sc—"
"Don’t spout nonsense! He’s a new student, appears with that bitch Lynnor, sneaks into the competing group, and when they lie about that, you believe?"
She chuckled manically. "Didn’t they say he cheated? That weakling can’t do anything without manipulation and intimidation from Lynnor, and he managed to snake his way into Rector’s eyes. If not for that crazy woman, you think he’d be noticed by anyone?"
She glared at Serin. "Don’t say what you don’t have to say, or you might regret it."
Serin shrank back, but sneered in her mind. Failing to accept the reality of your weakness will get you nowhere.
The silence was interrupted by a knock on the door.
Serin went over and opened the door to see a scared male student. He was one of those whom Liora ordered around.
Frowning, she glanced at Liora. "She’s not in a good mood. Leave."
She closed the door, but just as it was about to shut, he stopped it with his foot.
"Wait," he swallowed.
"I said leave, if you value yourself. She won’t tolerate anything now."
"It’s...It’s that boy. Aramith. I heard some rumors just now. It’s not good."
SErin was now more eager to shut the door. Aramith, who angered Liora to this level, should be avoided in the meantime, yet this fool decided to come running with news about him, and even claims it’s not good.
She lifted a foot and kicked him out, but..
"Aramith?"
Serin shivered, feeling a hot breath on her neck. She quickly ducked and moved aside, yet Liora remained rooted in her spot.
She looked out the door. "What about him?"
Serin frowned, knowing things won’t end well.
The student nodded and stood up to speak, but Liora just turned around and entered, taking a seat.
He looked at Serin, who didn’t say anything, waiting for him to enter before she shut the door.
He stepped forward, sweating as he opened his mouth to speak, but before he uttered a sound, Serin moved like a flash, striking his legs.
He buckled to his knees before he felt the pain.
"Don’t look down on me when speaking. Since when were dogs allowed to do that?"
Liora’s voice was like a viper, and he couldn’t even groan in pain after hearing that. He could only accept his fate like the dog he was.
Serin might have been savage in her strike, but what she did was the better option.
If he spoke while standing, Liora might have done worse.
"Now bark what you have to tell me."
"The...the students from the cu..ltivation grounds are defending him."
Liora’s expression twisted.
He swallowed again, then timidly started his narration of what happened within the cultivation grounds when those three students approached Aramith.
