Chapter 84. Duel

Author's Note:

I've been away for 22 days 😱 This is the longest time I've had Writer's Block.

I have enjoyed my real life too much lol. I will regain my passion for writing.

*****

That day, more than fifteen students were detained for falsely spreading rumours, and also defaming members of the prestigious House Rubius. Thankfully, the teachers and administrators solved the issue quickly, but what's happened could not be changed.

As a result, those detained students were suspended on the spot.

"Lucilline sir!" All of a sudden, a shout alerted him in the school courtyard. The silver-haired student stared ahead with his glossy purple eyes, his thumbs fiddled together, as if he was too afraid to continue talking. Lucilline had a dry mouth, the edges of his lips cracked. His every move was elegant, but over time, it has grown languid, as if something was sitting on his shoulders and weighing him down.

The black-haired nobleman stopped in his tracks.

Azalea had his guilty conscience written all over his face.

To Lucilline, this fluffy silver student looked horribly aggrieved... as if he'd accidentally done a wrongdoing. The black-haired nobleman chuckled at his appearance. "What is it?"

He was stunned when Azalea bowed in a perfect 90 degree, his back glistening with sweat. "I am sincerely sorry for the problems I've caused you! When I asked you to hire me as a knight, I never intended for this to blow into such... proportions. Please accept my apology!" A gust of wind washed over their two figures, bathing them in the sunlight's laughter.

Lucilline did not expect for him to apologize... for something he did not mean to happen.

"...lift your head." He softly spoke. Fluffy white curls raised along with two purple eyes, a spark of anticipation slit within them. Lucilline hummed, "From now on, let's not interact anymore." Azalea froze in place, his face deadly pale. It was as if he'd heard his own death sentence right then and there. Contrary to him, Lucilline held a light smile.

"This is for the better."

*****

As time continued onwards, Lucilline continued living as the lone wolf of S Academy. He was approached by no one, and did not approach anyone either. Ever since the students who badmouthed him were suspended, all rumours of Lucilline Rubius halted to a stop. However, that did not stop the seed planted within their hearts.

A wound would hurt—but after it heals, it will merely leave behind a scar. After some time, the scar will scab over and itch. The itch made several students hesitant about approaching him.

The black-haired nobleman shrugged at all the odd gazes directed at him, his figure like a blade warding off evil. He seemed indifferent to all the commotion.

Months passed.

Soon, it was the day of the swordsmanship tournament. The gymnasium was packed of nobles, with flashing bright pink dresses and elegant suit ties collectively everywhere. Wherever students went, they would be exposed to the extravagant audience, who came specifically to watch them. The pressure on their shoulders were mortifying.

Lucilline sat lazily in the audience, his maid accompanying by his side.

"Aren't you participating, Young Master?" Willow curiously asked. She was given an "Are you kidding me" expression by the black-haired nobleman. The maidservant laughed at that look.

Lucilline hummed, "It wouldn't be fair to participate." I would win in an instant.

The tournament began with gratifying applause. Most of the noble men and women were entertained with such a spectacle. The star of the tournament was ultimately: Azalea. His silver strands of hair shone as if the moon blessed them with a sweet spell, and his amethyst purple eyes were like gems that nobles would fight centuries for.

His every move was brimming of elegance, as he avoided the slashes of his opponents, and counterattacked with an unstoppable force.

Lucilline thought to himself, Maybe it wouldn't have hurt to hire him as a knight.

He froze in his seat. I must vanquish such a dangerous thought! The black-haired nobleman shook his head repetitively. It would do no good to fantasize about such ominous stuff!

All of a sudden, he felt a rush of cold air infiltrate his joints. Such a sensation—he could only describe as if he'd been stranded in the midst of Isdis Kingdom, with an eternal ice glossing across his aching bones. Subconsciously, Lucilline's arm jerked.

He did not expect to accidentally bump into the young butler sitting beside, the latter shocked. The butler was serving his master—a young noblewoman. This butler was holding a hot teapot, his hands covered in leather gloves in order to fend off the hot temperature. The flavourful aroma of sweet tea had been seeping into the surroundings.

"Huh?—" The butler accidentally dropped the teapot.

The porcelain material crashed directly onto the innocent person seated below them!

"AHHHHH!!!" A scream rang across the gymnasium. Daphnne clenched her burnt arm, with the scorching hot tea seeping past the thin fabrics of her sleeve. Her face twitched and twisted, as pain flared within those pure baby blue irises. "It hurts..." She could only tear her soaked hot sleeve, revealing the gruesome wound. Her healthy wheat-coloured skin had been peeled off, as if threads of a brocade were ripped mercilessly. A fleshy red colour seared violently in the middle.

Tears threatened to spill out of her tightly shut eyes.

The butler began to panic, "My apologies, Lady. I didn't mean to d-drop the teapot. S-shall we have someone t-tend to your injuries?"

Daphnne did not spare this servant a look. The pain of having her arm burned was violently etched in her veins. It was as if her own flesh had been ripped out, then boiled ruthlessly in a pot of popping oil. She did not dare to look at her arm—afraid that it was too ugly of a sight to behold.

"I..." Daphnne bowed her head, "medicine... I need medicine..."

The butler paled in fright at the mention of medicine. Such a gruesome wound could not be healed easily with just... medicine. It had to be from the healing of a mage. However, not anyone is able to afford treatment from mages. If they could, then there wouldn't be the need for so many commoners dying every year due to simple fevers and illnesses.

The butler shot a look at his master.

The young noblewoman was also frightened. She'd only decided to spectate the swordsmanship tournament for fun. She had no idea she'd need to pay for medicine... Her eyes flashed to examine the injured student. Daphnne's clothes were of poor material, and despite her good looks, it was clear as day that she was a commoner.

If my family were to find out I spent so much money on a mere commoner... Her family did not have infinite money... they were on the lower hierarchy of nobles. It'd be a waste of money!

"That servant is not mine!" She blurted out. "It's... it's...!" Her eyes desperately flailed to look at her surroundings. She locked onto a rich-looking handsome fellow. His slightly widened golden eyes were captivating, and his locks of black hair were more smooth than silky threads. He appeared like he was from a rich household.

The young noblewoman did not hesitate to point a finger at him. "I saw him! He ordered this butler to spill the tea over you!"

Lucilline froze.

Willow snorted, "HAH!?! Are your eyes blind? Where in the world did you see my Young Master ordering your servant to do such a foolish thing?"

"I don't own this servant!" The young noblewoman refuted. "Either way, I can not afford medicine! Since you're clearly the richer one of us, your Young Master should just pay up! It's not like it will bankrupt him! Just think of it as a charity!"

Daphnne's eyes slowly flickered open.

Her lips trembled, "...I just want medicine..."

The words 'medicine' reverberated across Lucilline's skull. Before he knew it, a strange silhouette of crimson loomed across his pupils.

Medicine. Of course, medicine.

He also wanted medicine.

Father has been sick for over three months, and there still has been no cure. I have been withstanding all the pressure as his role of Grand Duke for that long. The letters... the meetings... I have been delaying everything. The people will find out soon. They will suspect where Mother is.

Why is it that Father is still not better? Why is it that I can't find medicine that actually works?

A hammer thumped at his heart.

A malicious smile formed in his mind. "Why should this girl get medicine if your father has none? Isn't that just unfair?" The smile had odd shapes of beaming white teeth, as if carved out to contrast the darkness. "You've been waiting for three months. That girl should wait too."

No. Lucilline subconsciously shook his head. That isn't how I feel. You are wrong.

The mind demon gave a puzzled hum.

"What do you mean? That girl is the one who pushed you in the water fountain. She is the one that destroyed all your research on medicine." The voice only grew heavier on the ears. "If not for her, perhaps your father could have been cured by now."

Lucilline could feel his heart shudder... not from anger, but from hesitation.

Why am I hesitating? His hands trembled. I am supposed to outright deny your malicious thoughts. But the more I think about it, the more it makes sense.

"It's because I am merely repeating your own thoughts, Lucilline." The mind demon's shadowy figure snaked around, "In other words, I am only telling you of what you're really thinking of. Don't try to hide from your real self, Lucilline Rubius." Slowly, the silhouette formed into a young woman.

Her figure was identical to Rachelle. "Be a good boy."

Even her smile—the bewitching smile that he recognizes only his mother has—was worn perfectly.

The black-haired nobleman raised his head.

Daphnne was shocked to be faced by a pair of crimson red eyes—so bloody and chilling, as if they were seeing right past her skin and beneath into her river of flesh. This... These were the same pair of eyes she'd seen when this noble student pushed her into the water fountain. Her blood churned uncontrollably, sizzling and evaporating from the burn of that gaze.

"Why should I waste my money on you?" A sentence seared hard next to her ear.

Daphnne's blood ran cold. What...

"You are merely a commoner." No, that's not it. Lucilline's face remained cold and unchanging, and his inner thoughts ran at a boiling temperature. That's not what I meant to say. "Just because I have more money, I ultimately have to pay for everything? I do not own this servant, and I am uninvolved in your affairs. Pay for your own stuff. It isn't my fault if you are too poor to afford medicine." Stop it...!

He was surrounded in a dark space. His slender figure pounded desperately against the glass wall, but it only left a soft thud, before everything fading into silence.

Stop speaking in my stead, demon! His fists slammed hard into thin air, yet there was an invisible force stopping him from leaping forwards. Return my body to me!

"Are you sure?" The mind demon's eyes were endless swirls of messy ink. They were like squirming ants, with their million legs overlapping into folds. "You should know very well that I am speaking your very inner thoughts. Nothing I've said thus far contradicts your wishes." Lucilline's fists paused midair. What? What do you mean?

Daphnne slowly stood up from her seat.

Despite how ugly the wound on her arm was, she still pointed her arm at the black-haired nobleman. "I do not know what you've experienced, but I cannot allow you to speak ill of me and my status anymore!" Her face twisted in severe pain. She wanted to collapse and never wake up. Perhaps then, she will finally be able to reunite with her mother... her father...

There will be an endless expanse of flowers waiting for her. It will be a luxurious paradise. But even so... Her blue eyes lit up aflame.

"Let's have a duel, shall we?"