Chapter 32: My Brother from Another Mother

"Harvey, bro. It's Harvey!"

"Are you sure?"

"Bro, it's my name."

"Okay."

Lucian started adjusting his seat as Harvey started sliding his chair closer and closer to him with a weird and excited smile on his face.

"I was actually thinking about contacting you, bro. And now you're suddenly here! What are the odds of that!?"

"I would surmise it is very low, Mr. Harvey."

"Right!? Right!? Wh—"

"Harvey! Please, quiet down. And the two of you know each other?" Harriet, who was about to start the lesson, could not help but just violently point at Harvey as his voice was practically filling the entire hall.

"Know each other? We're practically best friends! He could be my brother from another mother!"

"...Right. Then save your reunion for later," Harriet just rolled her eyes and turned around; not before, of course, glaring at Harvey again and gesturing to him that she was watching her.

Harvey, however, did not seem to care at all as he even inched closer to Lucian and just started whispering.

"Psst," Harvey nudged his shoulder, causing Lucian to once again adjust his seat, "You know, I've actually also been following your progress. You've only been taking odd jobs here and there… I knew it was only a matter of time before you attended the Academy. I guess you want to hunt some monsters now, huh?"

"No," Lucian shook his head, "I am only here for formality reasons."

"...Like what?" Harvey squinted his eyes at Lucian, "No, wait. Don't tell me… are you secretly a secret agent?"

"...No," Lucian could really only blink as he heard that. In truth, he was actually also listening in on the lecture while talking with Harvey at the same time — it was not really that hard to focus on both. Unfortunately, the things that Harriet was discussing were not something new for him.

Harriet was discussing monster anatomy, and Lucian was already well-versed in that due to his job as a looter. Still, he listened in on the lecture due to how entertaining Harriet was, and how enthusiastic she seemed while discussing monster organs.

"Alright, that's all! You people can go to your next class now! Mr. Lucian!" Harriet then turned to look at Lucian, "Since you know Harvey, just let him escort you to your next class."

"Okay, Ms. Instructor," Lucian just nodded.

"Alright! What's your next class!?" Harvey seemed incredibly excited as he quickly rushed out of the class hall.

"Cultivator Combat II."

"What…?" Harvey squinted his eyes, "That's a 4th-Year class. Wait — come to think of it, Harriet's class is for 3rd years like me Why are you—you're a secret agent!"

"No," Lucian just let out a small breath as he followed Harvey to the next class; once again walking through the Academy's unnecessary wide hallways. And if Lucian actually had any self and social awareness, he would have seen all the 3rd-years staring at them — or more specifically, staring at Harvey. Most of them just snickered and smirked at him; some, however, had looks of disdain.

"...Don't mind them," Harvey let out a small sigh while waving his hand, "They're just jealous — and they have every right to be… Life's unfair, you know? I get to just pass through the school without having to do anything at all because of my father."

"Hm," Lucian had no idea what Harvey was talking about and really just wanted to move on to his next class before he could be late. Harvey seemed to be saying something to him, but Lucian truly didn't understand what he was trying to say and just followed him up the stairs.

"You know, bro. There is—"

"Well, well, well… if it isn't my big brother. Whatever could you possibly be doing on the floor of the 4th Years?"

"Oh wow, if you couldn't even be more cliche."

Lucian could really only squint his eyes as Harvey suddenly stopped walking just a few steps upon reaching the next floor. He glanced at the group of people that suddenly blocked their path, only to see them all smirking at Harvey.

"Move aside, Matt," Harvey stepped forward; the tone of his voice, devoid of any of the friendliness he had toward Lucian, "I'm not here to play with you."

"Play with me…? Pft," Matthew, very much like his older brother, was taller than most people — he did not, however, share his brother's muscular build,

"You don't even deserve to breathe the same air as I do, Big Brother."

"Right, yes. Of course," Harvey scoffed as he looked Matthew in the eyes, "So, why don't you get the fuck out of my face and off you go, hm?"

"You hear that, boys?" Matthew let out a small snicker as he looked at his friends, "My big brother actually thinks he deserves to walk on this floor…

…when he doesn't even deserve to walk on his own floor. My big brother, the only one in the family that can't advance through the grades without Daddy's help."

"Fucking hell, man…" Harvey, even with the insults, only let out a chuckle as he looked at his younger brother with a slightly embarrassed look in his eyes, "Do you practice that in the mirror or what? Stop it, man. You're embarrassing yourself with the cliche villain lines."

"I am not the villain here, you are!" Matthew raised his voice before placing his finger on Harvey's chest, "Everyone in the Academy is saying it, everyone in the family is saying it — you shouldn't even have been born. But I guess it couldn't be helped…

…since your whore of a mother couldn't keep his legs clo—"

"I'm going to have to hit you now," Harvey smiled before just raising his fist and swinging it straight toward Matthew's face. Matthew, however, quickly leaned back and then just grabbed Harvey's wrist and then locked it behind his back. Matthew then wrapped his arm around Harvey's neck — all with a smile on his face.

"You… you really think you can hurt me, Big Brother…?" Matthew whispered into Harvey's ear before letting out a maniacal laughter, "There's a reason why everyone hates you, Big Bro — and that's because you have no talent at all. You're weak, pathetic. Honestly, your whore of a mother should have just swallowed you like she did with other—"

"I would like you to please let go of my guide, Mr. Harvey's Little Brother."

And before Matthew could finish his words, Lucian stepped forward; both the brothers towering over Lucian as he stood right beside them with a blank expression on his face,

"I only have 43 seconds to get to my class before I will be considered late."

"You…pft!" Matthew once again burst into a fit of laughter as he looked back at his friends in disbelief, "Do…do you guys see this!? What the… at least you know who you should be friends with, Big Brother."

"L…Lucian, just go," Harvey struggled to speak.

"No," Lucian shook his head, "I do not know where to go, Mr. Harvey. So please, can you let my guide go, Mr. Harvey's Little Brother?"

"Pft… you're funny, old man," Matthew smirked at Lucian, "Why don't you make me, then? Pull my arm if you can, pft."

"Okay," Lucian shrugged.

"Okay? You really think you can—Agh!"

And before Matthew could finish his words, he could not help but let out a scream all the way from his throat as Lucian grabbed his arm; his fingers…

…almost digging through his flesh.