The Sweet Taste

"Yes?"

"May I have a word to you?" Aldrich said.

I glance at Stephanie first and nods at her. "Go ahead, I'll follow."

"Okay, be careful."

Stephanie left the room, leaving the two of us alone. After she left, I lean my back on the wall, locking my gaze on Aldrich Belmont.

"So? What do you want to say?"

He reeks. I can smell the stinkiness around him. I thought it was just something, but there's a smell coming from Aldrich. I hate the smell. My instincts are telling me that, he's the nastiest one. It's hard to describe.

Aldrich's mouth arcs upward in a condescending smile, showing his inner personality. "This is so surprising an incompetent like you would get picked up by a Saintess. Moreover, you finally got some balls to answer back against me."

Observing him, if he will do something, but from the looks of it, he's trying to verbally attack me just to incite me into fighting him, or make me cower in fear. However, his taunt didn't affect me at all. I'm looking at him indifferently.

"Is that all? You're still childish and twisted as ever, Aldrich."

The long-awaited furrowed eyebrows finally bloom on the face of Aldrich. His face darkens after hearing my response, I could even hear his teeth gritting.

I clap my hands while grinning at him. "Hahaha, now that's the Aldrich that I know. The disoriented and twisted nature of the genius named Aldrich Belmont. Can't you believe it? From all these years, you still haven't changed my dear Aldrich. Still childish as ever. What happened to the gentle 'Aldrich' that everyone loves? Finally showing your colors, huh?"

Aldrich clenches both of his fists while his eyes are daggering at me. Looks like his true colors are showing now. He can control his temper in public, but when he's with his brothers or especially Claude; he can't control that temper. That part of him still hasn't changed.

"Hahaha, now that's the Aldrich that I know of. Took only like a matter of seconds for your fuse to blew up."

"You—! Incompetent fucker!" Aldrich's feet were now marching towards me with veins on his forehead about to pop.

(Diana can you sense any observing wards or any observing magic items around the room, right now?)

(Hmm... Yes.)

"Good! What are you going to do? Beat me up, like you always do? Sorry, but you can't do that. We're in the Krishna Council. You don't want the Belmont Family to suffer some consequences right? You're their savior, right? The mighty hero of the suffering Belmont Family."

Aldrich halted his movement completely, realizing the words that I just said. If he causes trouble in the Krishna Council, it could affect the image of the Belmont Family.

"That's what you always say whenever you're beating me up. The savior who will bring the chivalric dignity of the Belmont that was long forgotten because of the incompetence of every member to summon the greatest White Dragon; however, one man will change that, the genius—Aldrich Belmont. I must say it's quite ironic because you're incompetent like them."

Aldrich inhales, gathering his composure, and grins at me. "You've been taunting me for a while now. I can't believe you're this decisive now."

"It's not a taunt if I'm spitting the truth you know? They are two different things. How can you not get that?"

"I guess having power now can change a person, huh? But..."

Aldrich leans closer to my head.

"... The old coward and powerless Claude is still inside you." He pushed two fingers in my chest.

Aldrich is really trying to push my buttons. But, that didn't affect me as I gave him a smile. "What about your insecurity? Are your insecurities showing again? Is that why you're here because you know I have more talent than in swordsmanship despite being manaless? Because you realize, you only won against me because you have mana right?"

Aldrich's expression darkens again, veins popping on his temple as he stares angrily at me. Finally, his fuse blew up, he throws a punch towards my face which I evade by moving my head to the side, creating a hole in the wall.

"I'm better—! How dare you—!" Aldrich screamed.

"Yada-Yada, just admit it."

When Aldrich pulls his arm out of the wall, I took advantage of that to punch him in the gut, sending him flying in the wall.

"Khaaa—! You're nothing—!" Aldrich clutches his stomach while looking at me in disbelief.

Why am I even doing this?

"Haah... You're still pathetic as ever."

I turn my back against him to leave the room. However, Aldrich charges against me once again with his fist; however, in this case, he's now using his mana. But that doesn't mean he knows how to throw a punch.

I evade it and notices that his foot was in the wrong place which means his center of gravity was far off. For that reason, I move my body to the side and let him topple on the ground. The humiliation was getting on his head because of that. As usual, he will direct the anger inside his chest to me and blame me for everything.

"You're incompetent. Incompetent. I'm greater." Aldrich muttered.

"You okay? Can't land a hit? Want some help? Look, I don't care about your little shenanigans, but I still need to catch up with someone. And, I'm in a bad mood."

Aldrich stood back up and charges once again. I'm letting loose of my muscle, so I can move around faster. After evading the punches of Aldrich, I clench my hand into a fist loosely. However, as I was about to punch him in the face, I squeeze the muscle on my forearm once it's about to reach the point of impact. It's a concept that was taught to me by Master Irene when fighting hand-to-hand combat.

It's not all about power when it comes to hand-to-hand. It's about the precision and speed of landing punches into the opponent.

Soon after my fist connected into his face, he crashed into the wall of the room. Obviously, he wouldn't give up until he can beat me up. Aldrich stood up with fury eyes daggering at me and blood coming out of his broken nose.

"Aaagh—!"

"Are you done now? You're a pitiful person, Aldrich. Your bastard dad gave you a mission and you still manage to disappoint him? How pathetic are you? You must be delusional, to think you're something else." I said.

"You don't know shit! You're a just disgrace. There's nothing special about you other than being a useless piece of shit! No matter how much you try to reach the above, you won't ever reach it because you're useless."

"Above huh...?"

Aldrich said as he stands up staggeringly, but I teleported in front of him and stomped my feet into his face.

"Aakh—!"

"You know..."

I pulled my feet away from his face, to see his dark squinted eyes daggering at me.

"The fact that you're the one who's telling me that. Aren't you a pitiful hypocrite? Imagine getting beaten by the 'useless' person whom you called. That's just pitiful, Aldrich. Too pitiful."

"Aaaaaaah—! You're dead meat! Naga Aqua Ramnient!".

Once he yelled that phrase, I grimaced. He's going to fight me head-on with everything he got. Aldrich's face had a blue tattoo on his face; and now, he's wearing a full suit knight light blue armor with fin-like and scale design and a helmet with a halo crown of a reptilian fin. Also, he's holding a blue rapier in his left arm.

"I'll fucking kill you!"

"Hahahaha, try it fucker!" I smiled wickedly.

I could feel the excitement rushing through my veins. I know this is bad if things escalate any further, so I sprinted outside of the room to the huge hallway of the Krishna Council with a grin on my face. While simultaneously, evading Aldrich's sword.

Certainly, there would be people around the hallway; however, when I got out of the room my expectations baffles me because now, there are a ton of aristocrats who are walking towards us.

On my back, a tidal wave of water was rushing to me I leap to the air, but the devastating damage that it did to a pillar and the wall is not a thing to be made fun of. Then I saw Aldrich dashing to me in the air with his sword thrusting toward me.

"I got you!" Aldrich said with a smile.

I grinned in response. But before he could even get closer to me, a silhouette swoops Aldrich into the ground, apprehending him.

"Aghhhh—!"

The one who's apprehending him was a man dressed in black knight armor, he's holding Aldrich on his neck while his face was planted in the ground. It's a sight to behold.

When my feet touch the ground, I quickly glance at the surrounding people and saw all the audience in the trial hearing earlier. Of course, Claude's parents are here too. They rush toward Aldrich who's apprehended by the mysterious man.

"Aldrich my son!" Bernadette yelled while rushing toward Aldrich, it was Claude's biological mother. She has light-brown hair, an attractive mature face that resembles Aldrich's face.

Following her, was the biological father of Claude who's following her in silence while squinting his eyes to Aldrich and sometimes glancing at me. He has a well-defined buff physique and an intimidating look on his face, and of course, the signature white-pale hair of the Belmonts.

Whenever he would glance at me, I will wave to him with a smile. Pissing him off. Every time I see his irritated face, it brings pleasure to my mind—For some reason.

The guy that's apprehending Aldrich spoke. "Aldrich Belmont, you violated the rules of the constitution under the Krishna Council. One shall not use their spirit inside the Council. Hence, you are under arrest."

"Ah, sir, does that mean I'm safe?" I pointed it out.

He looks at me and nods in affirmation. "However, we will still investigate this matter."

"Aww~ That's sad. Aldrich will surely rot in jail." I said loudly where everyone around me could hear.

Upon hearing my voice, Aldrich's parents look at me with disdain and hatred. They really hate me that much, huh? Cassius' veins are popping in anger while looking at me, the same could be said for the mother.

"You're own fault. You guys tried to test me." I said to them, making sure that everyone would hear it then I shrugged my shoulders to them.

They can't do anything about this because we're inside the Krishna Council, and Maiveil is a part of the Krishna Council which means if they did something horrendous here. It could affect the Belmont entirely, or what's worst they would be strip out of their aristocrat titles.

I respond to their gaze by sticking my tongue out, mocking them openly with every aristocrat in here.

Fuck them, they piss me off.

It was exactly my plan from the start. I pushed Aldrich's buttons to piss him off and incite him into fighting me because I knew that he's easily aggravated when it comes to me. In short, I won by using psychological warfare.

Feels good.

Shortly after, knights dressed in white armors are marching toward Aldrich who's apprehended with a handcuff on his hands. When they lift him up, he glanced at me while gritting his teeth. Perhaps his loathing my entire existence right now.

While they're taking him, I bid farewell to him with my right hand waving at him.

Taking one last glance, I mouth to him. 'Stupid.'

Unexpectedly, I got a slap at the back of my head. "Claude!"

"Ouch!"

"You caused another commotion!"

"What? I didn't do anything."

I look at Stephanie who has her hands on her hips and leaning closer to my face.

"Nothing? I doubt that."

"Hey, the guy already said I'm good, plus its self-defense because he's throwing punches at me out of nowhere. Then he suddenly got pissed off after I punch him in the face. What do you want me to do? Let him punch me my beautiful face? Nah-uh."

"... You're unbelievable... But it does make sense."

"See? I'm innocent. Anyhow, where's Clara?"

"You called, young master Claude?" Clara whispered to my right ear.

Sending cold shivers down to my body.

"Where did you go?"

"Beside Master Irene."

"Really? I didn't see you there."

"I hid my presence."

"Oh, yeah... You can do that. Is the hearing done?"

"Yes. Ms. Lily is now safe. The case suddenly shifts into investigating Wilfrod Valentin for overlooking all the deeds of his son's misconduct and some other matters related to his dukedom. The church was also investigating on it."

"Oh thank god..."

"You caused another problem."

"I know."