Chapter 144: Interlude

Cella Belmont and Shikta Kramer, are two known prospects coming into the academy from the families of knighthood in the Maiveil kingdom. Everyone knows the relationship between the two, as it's a well-known rumor back in their hometown, and now, it also spread in the academy too. Cella Belmont's one-sided forbidden love toward her own cousin, Aldrich Belmont, the fiancee of Shikta Kramer... Anyone should be able to grasp that simple explanation.

But right now, the two were seen together in a room with Aldrich Belmont standing between them. He has his arms crossed, looking at Cella with mixed reactions then for a brief second he glanced at Shikta to check on her, and he received an apathetic look from her. It deeply hurt his pride, as no matter what he does to please his fiancee to gain her favor nothing works as her stubbornness seems to be unbreakable. Sometimes, he wanted to toss aside his tender facade and...

"His Highness gave us a task to work together on the upcoming expedition to the new zone. The entire knighthood sector of our Faction was sent to join His Highness. And, I want you two to set aside your differences and work with each other because it's also affecting the other members with your unnecessary disputes."

"But!" Cella refuted.

"No, buts!"

Shikta looked at both Aldrich and Cella scornfully, openly expressing her hate and disgust. 'This bastard, this bitch pig, the Belmont's, and the Kramer's, all of them are the same.'

Even when she was still a child, she was not fond of two nor everyone in the Belmont family, except for her childhood friend named Claude Belmont. She witnessed her friend getting beaten up by his cousins and children of their servants, yet meanwhile, his own older brother and his mother who gave birth to him, her own flesh and blood just watched the entire thing transpire right before them without showing any sort of remorse in their eyes.

Shikta remembers every single detail as if it happened yesterday. She clenched her fist in anger from just reminiscing about it but remained unperturbed outside.

"I wonder how he is right now... He's probably with her again." Shikta muttered to herself sadly.

When she found him again... An unexpected person appeared right before her... It was the time when she was mindlessly wandering around the place then suddenly, her eyes caught sight of a peerless beautiful woman with her wafer-thin body clinging to a man. She had a decanter-shaped waist that would make any woman envious adding her alluring calamine-pink wet lips that were mercilessly sensually attacking the man. She also has sleek, raven hair resting around his chest, notably daunting scarlet eyes that anyone would fall in love with once met.

...and the man she's with is none other than Claude!

Most importantly, not only is she beautiful but Shikta also recognizes her as she's the famous sword princess, the most famous person among her peers as she won the biggest swordsmanship competition in the Maiveil kingdom at such a young age. Thereafter, she fought a 5th Grade Beast all alone by herself and even subjugated it, that's when her name began spreading. Defeating a beast that's regarded as a 5th Grade is no easy feat, as it would take 4 divisions of knights to take it down or even more. But to do it alone? That's an impossible feat for an individual.

Rumors had also spread that Adelle was seeing a man, but Shikta didn't expect it to be Claude.

"Okay..." Cella shrank her neck and gnashed her teeth in frustration.

"How about you, Shikta?"

"No, I don't have any. She's the nosy one." Shikta replied indifferently.

"You—"

"I'm not going to point fingers on whose fault it is, but fix it you two." Aldrich sighed exasperatedly.

He won't let this foolish dispute affect his goal and in order to compensate for his failure last time. In his heart, he would rather eat shit than give him an apology for his past actions. For him, everything that he did for his little brother is what's best for the future of the family, or simply by removing the detritus from the family so it wouldn't leech off them. The house and the money that they provided to him were enough for him to live through years, and they thought to themselves that Claude should least be grateful to them since they still showed kindness and generosity to him.

Yet now, he came back with a powerful person behind him that can shake an entire kingdom or even the entire continent. Needless to say, at first, they were puzzled by this news and thought it was some joke, but once the head of the Belmont family confirmed it; all of them had mixed emotions of uncertainty and fear, the fear of him returning with a vengeance. But then again, they remembered how can a manaless child like him do against them?

'Narcissist.' Shikta sneered knowing fully well what goes through his mind.

Aldrich left the room, leaving the two people who can't get along no matter what even if their life depends on it. The two looked at each and immediately gave each other cold shoulders.

"Forgot to mention, you two fetch Ms. Lise Heinford in the town, she's currently listing her name. His Highness called out a meeting today, so be fast." Aldrich popped his head at the entrance.

"Yeah... W-Wait."

"Hm?" Aldrich puckered his eyebrows.

"We will inform Ms. Lise— t-together," Cella glanced at Shikta with disdain.

"Good! Now, go ahead. Time is important."

Soon after, the two did exactly what Aldrich said to them and arrived at the town, searching for Lise Heinford. Throughout their walk, they didn't talk nor pay heed to each other and treated it as if they were alone.

"I'm only here because Big Brother Aldrich said so," Cella mentioned.

Shikta completely ignored her, infuriating Cella in the process.

Cella has been bottling up her frustration since earlier.

When they first met as kids, Cella wasn't fond of Shikta, the reason being that ever since she's been a kid—she was compared a lot to her by her parents, and also the fact that she has never once beaten her in a mock battle.

Everything became a competition for Cella whenever Shikta's involved, but on the other hand, Shikta was completely oblivious to all of this, and even if she does she won't care at all. The difference between their strength is astronomical, yet Cella still believes she can overcome her.

Spirit alone, Cella won't stand a chance against Shikta since she's the current master of her family's proud, household spirit, the Nemean Lion, an S-tier spirit; meanwhile, Cella on the hand, her spirit was considered to be B-tier but was slotted in the A-Class because of her elite level of swordsmanship.

Cella just realized that something was a bit off. Shikta also felt the same. So, the two followed the direction of other people's gazes and somewhat ended up with a group of people standing near the exit. Shikta's eyes widened upon spotting two people clinging to each other.

"The Princess of the elven kingdom, Askar..." Cella paused for a brief moment as if to show her disgust for the unsightly man next to the princess. "... and the vermin."

Even with just a glance, everyone knew her. She's the one who took the political world by storm. She's a person to be feared for, the person not to be messed with.

Yet, why's she sticking her body so close to a human intimately, and most importantly, to a guy? The question that everyone asks in their mind upon seeing the two.

Cella's eyebrows furrowed upon recognizing the guy in the middle of it. She's not surprised since it's already spreadly known that Claude was acquainted with the Askar princess. The two had the same master, so it's not a surprise the two would be close. However, what infuriates Cella more is how Claude was acting indifferently like he's being cocky about it.

"Look at that good-for-nothing, acting all high and mighty," Cella grumbled.

Meanwhile, next to Cella, Shikta, she's completely flabbergasted by the person next to him. 'H-Huh? The elf princess? Why is she clinging to Claude...? A-And, the hug is too intimate... What's going on?'

Shikta admits that Claude was a good-looking one, she herself also had a crush on him at some point, but his appearance right now was on another level. When she saw him last time, he was perfectly androgynous, possessing equal parts, delicate feminine beauty, and masculine virility. Yet now... It's not even comparable.

His dark purple colored hair with a faint faded color of whiteness on the end of each strand, captivating the changes and transformation he has gone through, as the purpleness slowly devours the whiteness that reflects his bitter past. His sharp eyes were the color of the red sun and the center was this incandescent golden color. His snowy-white soft skin that many women envy, contrasted with his utterly proportionate body: lean and toned, with long limbs and broad shoulders, yet covered in muscles hard as steel. His almost artistic physique was completely exposed because of his fit clothing.

"How laughable, in spite of already having a fiancé. What a bitch, you are. Remember your role and duty, being Big Brother Aldrich's fiancé, is to benefit the two families." Cella said scornfully.

Shikta remained unperturbed by her remarks and responded kindly. "Benefit of the two? Don't kid yourself. Your family needs every bit of help from the Kramer family in order to survive."

Cella's eyelashes fluttered, baffled by what she heard. Instead of backing off, Cella sneered. "Heh, and your Kramer family needs an heir, an heir that's not a cripple."

Shikta clenched her fist firmly until blood poured out of her palm. The two glared at each other. Fortunately enough, Shikta maintained her composure and said. "This is not the right time."

"Wuss," Cella mumbled.

Shikta rolled her eyes the other way and saw Lise Heinford talking with her attendant in the near alleyway. She approached Lise Heinford, leaving Cella behind. "Ms. Lise, what happened?" Shikta asked as she noticed their pale faces.

"Ms. Shikta? What are you doing here... And you're with Ms. Cella."

"His Highness called out a meeting."

"E-Eh? Today? I thought he had somewhere else to be. That seems unlikely for him to not follow his schedule... Perhaps... Okay, I understand, I'll be on my way."

"Oi, Kramer Girl! Where are you go—Ah! Ms. Lise, good evening!" Cella bowed instantly as soon she saw Lise.

Lise glances at her attendant worryingly. "You two... You two are familiar with Claude Weiss?"

Cella and Shikta looked at each other, figuring out why Lise would ask that question to them.

"Why are you asking about him, Ms. Lise?" Cella asked.

'Don't tell me, Ms. Lise also took interest in him?! The bookworm goddess of the Maiveil kingdom!? Oh, no... Brother would feel upset if he learned about this.' Shikta thought.

"I want to get my facts straight. He's born without mana?"

"Um, yes."

'Then h-how did he see through it? How was he able to see through the high-tier magic of a Grand Magus? Just how! Unless... His eyes. It's his eyes. Without a doubt. However, he's a human... Unless he modified his eyes or planted a new one. Could it be Transmutation Magic? No, that's not possible even theoretically. Just what did the Saintess do to him?' Lise began biting her fingers in frustration.

Shikta and Cella were incredibly worried considering they know Lise as the most poised and elegant among all the women in the noble circle, and yet now, they're witnessing a side of her unbeknownst to them.

"Ms. Lise? A-Are you all right?"

"You can go ahead first. My attendant isn't feeling well right now, I'll send her first." Lise glanced at them sternly which took two by surprise.

"Y-Yes." Cella replied.

"The unfortunate son of the Belmont Family," Lise muttered as she coldly stare at the far distance