491 Are they going to fight or take a picnic?
Vincentâs team and their opponentâs teams parted ways as both teams needed some time to discuss the matters of their upcoming match. But before they parted ways, Vincent looked at their stats and class.
*Sigh* Vincent shook his head when the stats of the five arrogant students were mediocre, and they were all mages.
[...] Even the talkative Kazumi couldnât mock them for how weak they were compared to what Vincent had faced thus far.
âLilith, Nick, Clair, and Jun Ye Rim. Do you all think I have done right? I feel I should have asked everyone before making the deal.â Vincent asked. He didnât like to force things on people he was on good terms with.
âYes, darling. Thank you for not letting us girls become targets of those... trash people.â Lilith said while still latched to Jun Ye Rimâs only available hand.
Jun Ye Rim shrugged her shoulders. âItâs not like I care who the leader is. You can be one if youâd like.â Her gaze lowered as she continued, âI canât help much with one arm and no combat skills.â
âI agree, Vincent.â Said Nick with an unhappy expression painted on his face. âThank you, my friend, for controlling the situation... but I feel ashamed I could not defend myself and Clair.â
âIt happened all of a sudden, so donât blame yourself. â Clair told Nick, hoping to clear his guilt of not being strong enough to stand up for others.
Clair looked at Vincent and continued, âThank you for saving me from being slapped. I donât know what would have happened if not for your help.â
.....
Vincent nodded. âI will be going since we are on the same page.â
Vincent left and approached the royal soldier. The arrogant student who knocked Nick to the floor was already registering for the ranking match.
To Vincent and Kazumiâs astonishment, the arrogant student was registering as if it was a thing he had done many times. Enough to become something natural similar to ordering food from a takeaway shop.
âI want to reserve a match against this studentâs team. â Vincent said causally without an ounce of intimidation shown by his behavior.
The royal soldier looked at Vincent and nodded.
âWhat year and team are you the leader of?â He asked with a magic pen in his hand and a handheld board with documents attached to it.
If a magic pen was being used for the registration, then the documents might have been made from a Scribe Mage for official authenticity. This made Vincent and Kazumi understand how significant the ranking matches were to the kingdom.
âFirst year, Class A, Team Ten. I am Vincent Lionheart, the leader of the team.â
The royal soldier frowned. He looked at Vincent and asked, âIs your team going to participate willingly, or was your team forced to accept?â
âIs there a problem? I thought the registration would be accepted immediately.â
The royal soldier glanced at the arrogant student. âThe match will be a fourth-year team.â He looked back at Vincent and continued, âAgainst a first-year team.â
âI have no problems with a one-year difference, but a three-year difference causes unease. It makes the people who see the report think the match was forced or fixed and me.â The royal soldier explained.
[I feel much safer knowing there is a person who is trying to protect us.]
[But we do not need to worry because of your power, hehe.]
Vincent smirked. He looked at the arrogant student and said, âPlease do not report me if I beat your team, this caring royal soldier.â
âBeat us. Humph! your weaklings will not be able to last for five minutes.â
âHaha. Who said it was going to last five minutes?â
The royal soldier chuckled when he saw Vincentâs gaze brimming with willpower. Furthermore, speaking confidently in front of the royal soldier would burn the only chance to escape from a forced ranking match.
The royal soldier believed a confident person with such an intense gaze would not mock and taunt his opponent if he were afraid. He became interested in what was backing Vincentâs unshakeable confidence.
âI accept your registration.â The royal soldier said. He swiftly registered the two teams and continued, âThe registration is done. Please bring your teammates here. The match will start after the current one ends.â
Vincent returned and informed them about their opponents.
Nick and Clair became worried when hearing how their opponents were fourth-years and they were all mages. On the other hand, Jun Ye Rim shrugged her shoulders with beads of sweat appearing on her forehead.
âWill they be okay?â Asked Lilith. She looked worried about the arrogant students instead of Vincent and Nick.
*Sigh* âI can hold back. Or do you not trust me, honey?â
âN-no... I didnât mean it like that. I am worried we will attract too much attention... thatâs all.â
Vincent extended his hand. âLetâs go to win.â
Nick and Clair saw Lilith hold Vincentâs hand. They saw the two of them leave a few moments later.
Nick and Clair looked at each other and gulped, but they didnât dare to reveal their relationship so soon. Not to mention how red their cheeks became at the thought of holding hands in public.
âIs Vincent going to fight, or is he going to flirt. I really canât understand that womanizer.â Jun Ye Rim thought as she followed Nick and Clair. Contradictory to her thoughts. However, a slight frown was on her face.
The current match ended, and the two teams were asked to enter the guarded door.
Inside was a pattern carved on the ground and nothing else. There were three stone walls with a few light gemstones attached to the corners and a cleaning. There were no windows nor any decorations.
Lilith latched on to Vincent when the doors closed. She felt claustrophobic after being locked in her wardrobe and in the secret underground room.
âLook at me and no one else. We will be teleported soon enough.â Vincent said, hoping to reassure Lilith. But he didnât look too happy when he was his wife trembled in fear because of her past.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
The arrogant students began to question what was happening. But they were stopped from passing comments when Vincent moved his gaze onto them and revealed a cold-blood glare.
Vincent was angry, and he looked like he wanted to let off some steam.
Fortunately, it didnât take too long for the teleportation to activate and teleport the two teams to opposite sides.
The students watching the live broadcast laughed when they saw the fourth-year team. They acted as if this happened on multiple occasions and became well known for what they did.
âHey look! Itâs the fourth-year noob crushers! Haha.â
âYes, youâre right! The ones that ranked up quickly last year by picking on weak teams. Looks like they are at it again. Hahaâ
âWeak team? But isnât that the famous Vincent Lionheart? You know. The one who made many students faint. Kilo Blackheart and a few others were sent to recover in their homes because of him.â
âYeah. I heard about that. I hope this is going to be fun. Hahaâ
âHey, guys! Stop challenging each other and watch this match!â
Everyone in the arrival hall didnât take long to watch the live broadcast. This uncommon occurrence caused the royal soldier to become interested as well.
Vincent, Lilith, Nick, Clair, and Jun Ye Rim were teleported to arena island.
The environment around them wasnât to their advantage as they were teleported to a rocky area. Behind them was a five-foot pole with a red flag attached to it.
âWhat do we do?â Asked Clair with uncertainty. She was nervous at the thought of so many students looking at them. Furthermore, she didnât know how to fight.
âDonât worry. I will protect you.â Nick quickly said to reassure Clair.
*Sigh* âAre the four of you going to act like love birds, or are you going to leave?â Jun Ye Rim spoke with her usual annoyed tone, yet it sounded like she was feeling too lonely and abandoned.
Lilithâs face was flushed, and she didnât look too good. Vincent let go of her hand and summoned three barrels near large rocks. He later summoned three dishes with a delicious smell, cutlery, and drinks.
âYou girls can eat while Nick and I go to punch some teeth in.â Vincent joked, hoping to change the mood. He held Lilithâs hand and escorted her to sit on a rock.
âStay here with Clair and Jun Ye Rim. Eat if you feel nervous. No one can interrupt your launch.â Vincent warmly said.
Jun Ye Rim casually sat on a rock and started eating as if she had nerves of steel. She acted as if she didnât have any care in the world what others said about her.
Clair was nervous, but she felt embarrassed to be the only one of the three females standing. She went to sit and looked at the food. *Grumble* Her belly didnât take too long to beg for food.
The students watching the live broadcast were bewildered. Not only Vincentâs team was taking it easy, but they had the guts to treat the ranking match as a picnic.
âHahahaha.â One of the students laughed loudly. âNow thatâs the legendary couple for you!â
âYeah. No wonder he courted a widow less than a month after her husband died. He has the audacity to use the arena island in an official fight to feed his wife.â
Many of the male students were starting to forget about their losses because of Vincent and started to respect his guts.
âDoesnât it look romantic, though?â
âI wouldnât mind being treated like that once in a while.â
On the other hand, the female students were captivated by the public display of a loving couple.