Days went on to become weeks, and the rivalry between Cermin and Don still never settled.
Both of them still aspires to become Ronin’s best bud in so many ways. Especially when Cermin learned they share the same dorm room.
“But why!?” Cermin exclaimed. “Why can’t your master have his own room!? Why does he have to share with his servant!?”
Don took this moment to gloat. “It was Ronin’s choice. Hah!”
Don also got another win when he was able to pull Ronin aside to watch his Gridiron try-outs.
At first, that morning, when he told Ronin about it, he seemed disinterested. He was only focused on helping him with putting on his disguise for the the day.
Don had finished binding his chest and wearing the Warrior’s uniform, and said:
“Also, I heard that this try-outs will be officiated by the former captain of the team that used to be one of the greatest in the Academy’s history, until he sustained a fatal injury.”
Ronin stopped paying no attention to what he was saying. He looked up once he had straightened Don’s vest.
“What did you just say?”
“Er, the former captain will officiate the tryouts? He’s a bit better now, gaining a new therapy from his friend from another Schoola.”
Ronin frowned. “What’s the friend’s name?”
“Uh….. Pavo, I think.”.
“Pavone.” Ronin frowned. “So is Volken fully healed now and returning to school?”
“Not yet. At least, his physicians advised him not to.” Don looked at his brother’s expression in the mirror.
“Do you know them, Brother?”
“Yes.” That was all Ronin said, and did not elaborate.
“Don…..” He placed a hand in his shoulder. “Do well in the try-outs, but control yourself. Do not do too well.”
The little Warrior blinked. “Why? I don’t…..”
“You are a first-year. People do not like show-offs. Just do enough to join the team, but do not appear as a threat to anyone.”
Don felt that this advice was still strange, but kept it in mind. He nodded. “I’ll try, Brother.”
“Good.” Ronin rubbed his own chin, then after much consideration, said:
“I’ll watch the tryouts later. I would have to miss lunch with Cermin, though.”
Don then immediately got excited that it was all he could think about until lunchtime… He’ll get to have his brother watch him play!
With this much excitement to show-off to his brother, he forget about that advice eventually.
Especially when Cermin insisted that he would watch too, and they had came together in the bleachers.
Cermin scoffed at him. “I used to be one of the greatest players too, you know. And I even—“
Ronin interrupted him. “Until you were kicked off the team, Your Highness. Keep your cloak high, people can’t see you here.”
They were both wearing cloaks and high scarves that cover the lower half of their face on this autumn day. Only the other companion of theirs didn’t wore it.
Don had always noticed this person following after them, but barely saying much. This person never talked to him, and they never talked much about this person either.
Somehow, this person felt familiar, but Don couldn’t tell why. Not the face, nor the voice….
But just the presence.
Kai saw the little lordling looking at it, and just gave a mysterious nod.
A whistle came, and all the Warriors joining the tryouts would have to go to the field.
Don got excited, and waved. “Wish me luck, Ronin!”
“Good luck, young master.” Ronin said politely, but his attention was elsewhere.
His eyes were narrowed to the person on the other side of the field, being pushed on a mechanical device that resembled a wheelchair.
It was no other than the heavily injured Volken.
(Volk is here? That’s…..)
He heard Cermin’s anxious thoughts, his eyes tearing a little as memories of the past flash on his eyes.
That confidence he had earlier of going here and even boasting to Don was all bravado. The moment he saw the former captain, his former friend, he wasn’t able to keep the facade anymore.
“I’ll….. I’ll go grab us a snack since we can’t eat lunch.” He excused himself. “Be right back.”
“Alright.” Ronin just nodded and continued observing this Volken.
His body was now wrapped in gauze, except for his face. If he was wrapped to the face, he would have been like Professor Vyrill.
He does have another similarity with the professor though. There was….. paranoia in his eyes. Like he was heavily disturbed by something, and fully alert.
Ronin paid closer attention, as he felt that for a moment…
He saw some blue electrical shocks swimming on Volken’s body.
‘So Pavone really did manage to get his hand on a resurrecting machine after all. Possibly not the original one, as that would be difficult to steal.’ Ronin theorized.
‘But Volken was still not fully healed, and those sparks look unstable and weak. Could it be that he made his own, lesser effective version?’
He did notice a few red slashes under the bandages, proving his inference.
This meant that since Pavone’s machine was less effective, he couldn’t heal Volken with a few tries.
After all, Professor Vyrill estimated that broken bones would mend in just a couple of months through the resurrecting machine.
Yet looking at those red marks, it was clear that just 4-5 times of electrotherapy wasn’t enough.
The electricity being unstable also meant that just sending shocks might bring the danger of electrocuting Volken’s heart to the point of crisp, unless his Flame was at its lowest. This meant that….
Pavone had to kill Volken and resurrect him again and again to eventually mend his broken bones.
How many times he had stabbed and healed Volken, only they would know.
To have that level of trust towards someone…
Either Volken was desperate to get healed as soon as possible, or he really regards Pavone as his most trusted friend.
Ronin was a cynic and doesn’t believe in friendships, so of course, he’s inclined to believe the earlier than the latter option.
Volken’s eyes watched everyone, from the players to the audience, with ferocious eyes like that of a wolf.
Ronin and Cermin were sitting pretty nearby, and so he was able to hear his thoughts in this range.
(Pavone warned me about that little rat. Could he also be here?)
Ronin remembered very well that ‘little rat’ was what Volken referred to him when they first bumped into each other. He scowled.
‘Ah. Cruel people never die easily, huh? So they’ll return to bite back against me now.’
He was right in his decision to watch this tryouts. Cermin and Kai initially thought it was to support Don…
And some may even think, knowing the context, that it was out of worry from what Volken might do.
But no, Ronin simply knew that it couldn’t have been a coincidence that the moment his brother went to school, Volken would return.
Another round of storm is coming, and he was here to greet it with a smirk on his face.
‘I brought down these people before, I can bring them down again.’ He smiled.
But much, much later, he would find himself surprised.
This storm wasn’t for him. This storm wasn’t made by the story’s system for him.
Don was placed to position as he was supposed to spar with the new Main Six along with five new tryout players.
He brought out his weapon. “Blessed Freja, grant me the Hiemal Morningstar!”
Once Volken saw the spiky ball of ice, memories suddenly flashed before him. His scarred face contorted into another expression, one of fear and trauma—
A little girl was crying so hard that she brought an icy storm falling from the ceiling…..
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