Chapter 506: The Innocent Blade

The Innocent Blade

Maya’s expression softened as she thought about the young girl.

"She’s lively, innocent, and quite likable."

She paused for a moment before turning toward Leon.

A playful smile spread across her face. There was a mischievous glint in her eyes, the sort that usually meant she was about to cause trouble for someone else.

"Why don’t you... give her to me?"

Leon raised an eyebrow.

He knew exactly what she meant. Judging by the look on her face, there was little point in pretending otherwise.

"You want my student?"

Maya nodded without the slightest hesitation.

"Of course."

Leon chuckled.

"Sure."

Maya blinked.

...Huh?

That was it?

She had expected a little resistance. Knowing Leon, he might have teased her first. He might have demanded something ridiculous in return. Or he could have found some absurd excuse to drag the conversation out just for his own amusement.

But he had agreed immediately.

Just like that.

Maya stared at him, momentarily wondering whether she had heard him correctly.

Then the surprise faded, and her eyes brightened.

Well, that went much better than expected!

She was just about to congratulate herself on her good fortune when Leon casually added, "In exchange, I’ll take your eldest student."

Maya’s smile froze.

Slowly, she turned her head toward him.

For a moment, she said nothing.

She simply stared at the man standing before her.

One second passed.

Then another.

Finally, she rolled her eyes.

"You..."

A helpless laugh escaped her lips. She couldn’t decide whether to scold him or laugh at his shamelessness.

Honestly, what was wrong with this man?

This guy! He’s still thinking about his precious student!

Maya shook her head. Her long blue hair swayed gently over her shoulders.

She really should have expected this.

It was Leon, after all.

No matter what they discussed, he always found a way to bring up his beloved student. It was almost impressive. The man could turn practically any conversation into an excuse to talk about her.

Sometimes, Maya wondered if he did it deliberately.

Actually, knowing Leon, he probably did.

She sighed quietly.

I’d better warn Amaya to keep her distance from him.

Who knew what this shameless man might try next?

With his personality, Maya wouldn’t put anything past him.

Just thinking about it made her feel a little sorry for Amaya.

Meanwhile, the afternoon sun filtered through the ancient trees. Golden patches of light fell across the stone pathway, shifting whenever the breeze stirred the leaves overhead.

The Holy Water Division was peaceful at this hour.

A gentle wind drifted through the gardens, carrying the fresh scent of spiritual herbs. Somewhere in the distance, students chatted as they went about their daily routines.

Everything seemed perfectly ordinary.

There was no sign of trouble.

At least, not yet.

Maya glanced at Amaya before turning back to Leon.

"Fellow Brother, if there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave."

She gave him a small smile.

"Bye."

Amaya shifted beside her.

Her dark eyes moved between Maya and Leon. She hadn’t understood every word of their conversation, but she had heard enough to realize something wasn’t quite right.

And she didn’t like it.

Not one bit.

What are these two talking about?

She tried to piece their conversation together.

The more she thought about it, the more suspicious it seemed. Maya looked far too pleased with herself, while Leon had that irritatingly relaxed expression he wore whenever he was up to something.

Amaya had a bad feeling about this.

Whatever they’re planning, I want no part of it.

She quietly decided that leaving as soon as possible would be the wisest choice.

Unfortunately, fate had other plans.

Before Leon could respond, a sudden commotion erupted from the courtyard beyond the ancient gate.

At first, it was little more than a distant murmur.

Then the noise grew louder.

Several voices rose at once. Someone burst into laughter, followed by a chorus of excited chatter. A group of young women seemed to be talking over one another, their voices carrying all the way across the courtyard.

The peaceful atmosphere disappeared in seconds.

Maya turned toward the noise.

Leon followed her gaze.

What they saw was a scene of barely controlled chaos.

A crowd of female students from the Holy Water Division had gathered around Shasa.

And there were so many of them that the poor girl could barely move.

The young women wore flowing robes in shades of pale blue and white. Most appeared to be between seventeen and twenty years old.

Every single one of them seemed fascinated by the blonde-haired girl trapped in their midst.

Shasa, meanwhile, looked as though she was beginning to regret every decision that had brought her here.

At eighteen, she was no ordinary girl.

Years of hardship and training had given her an athletic build. Beneath her youthful appearance was a strength that many people would underestimate at their own peril.

She knew how to fight.

She knew how to endure pain.

And when things turned ugly, she knew how to stand her ground.

She had survived situations that would have left most people trembling. She had faced danger with her own life on the line and learned the hard way that hesitation could be fatal.

Yet, somehow, none of those experiences had prepared her for this particular predicament.

Her blonde hair fell over her shoulders in soft waves. Her bright blue eyes, usually full of life, were gradually losing their sparkle.

Irritation was taking its place.

Then there were her cheeks.

They were round and soft, giving her face an adorable charm that was difficult to resist.

Unfortunately, the girls surrounding her had noticed.

And they had absolutely no intention of leaving her alone.

"Ah! Look at her cheeks!"

One of the older students leaned forward and poked Shasa’s face.

"So soft!"

Before Shasa could even turn toward her, another girl reached out and gently squeezed her other cheek.

"How do you keep your skin so smooth? Tell us your secret!"

"She’s adorable!"

"Little Shasa, you’re even cuter up close!"

The girls burst into laughter.

One reached over to pat Shasa on the head. Another brushed a loose strand of blonde hair away from her face.

Someone else leaned closer, apparently hoping to get a better look at those irresistible cheeks.

They behaved as though they had stumbled across some rare treasure.

And judging by their expressions, they had no intention of letting it escape.

To them, Shasa was simply too adorable to resist.

To Shasa, they were quickly becoming a serious problem.

At first, she had tried to put up with them.

She stood in the middle of the crowd with her arms crossed, hoping they would eventually grow bored and leave her alone.

Surely, they would realize she wasn’t some little doll they could play with whenever they pleased.

Right?

Wrong.

A finger poked her left cheek.

Then another hand came for the right one.

Shasa immediately turned her face away.

A third hand reached toward her.

She leaned back just in time, narrowly avoiding it.

"Ah! She’s dodging!"

"Look at how quick she is!"

"Come here, little Shasa!"

Are these people serious?

Shasa stared at them in disbelief.

She barely knew any of these women!

Why were they acting as though they had been close friends for years?

Her eyebrows drew together.

She tried stepping to the side.

Two girls immediately moved with her.

She took a step backward.

Someone leaned forward to follow.

Shasa turned in the opposite direction, only to discover another girl standing in her way.

Every time she tried to escape, someone blocked her path.

And somehow, they still found opportunities to touch her cheeks.

Her patience was wearing thin.

Just because she had a youthful face and round cheeks didn’t mean she enjoyed being treated like a doll.

She wasn’t a child.

She was a warrior.

A warrior who had survived things these girls probably couldn’t even imagine.

She had endured hardship. She had pushed through brutal training and learned to keep moving even when her body begged her to stop.

She had faced real danger.

She had fought for her survival.

And now?

Now she was standing helplessly in the middle of a crowd of women who seemed determined to squeeze her cheeks until the end of time.

Shasa’s fingers tightened around her arms.

She drew a slow breath through her nose.

Calm down, Shasa. Just calm down.

She tried to keep her temper under control.

Why won’t they stop? I don’t even know these people!

For a moment, she considered forcing her way through the crowd.

She was more than strong enough to push a few people aside and make her escape. It wouldn’t be difficult.

But doing so would probably cause an even bigger commotion.

And judging by the delighted looks on their faces, these women might actually enjoy the spectacle.

The thought made her eye t w i t c h.

Unbelievable!

Then another.

The girl standing directly in front of her suddenly covered her mouth with both hands.

"A h h h! She’s so cute!"

Shasa froze.

That was it.

She had had enough.

Shasa finally uncrossed her arms and planted both hands firmly on her hips.

She lifted her chin and glared at the girls surrounding her. She even tried to make herself look as intimidating as possible.

Unfortunately, her round cheeks rather ruined the effect.

The girls stared at her.

Shasa stared right back.

Then she spoke, making sure every word came out loud and clear.

"You’re not allowed to poke or touch my cheeks!"

Her voice was firm.

She looked from one girl to another, making certain they understood she was serious.

"If you poke me again, I’ll be angry!"

For a brief moment, the courtyard fell silent.

Shasa’s expression brightened ever so slightly.

Good. Now they’ll stop.

She waited.

One second passed.

Then another.

The girl standing directly in front of her suddenly covered her mouth with both hands.

"Ahhh! She’s so cute!"

Shasa froze.

Another student nearly doubled over with laughter.

"Did you hear that? She said she’ll get angry!"

"Look at her face! She’s pouting!"

"Little Shasa, don’t be angry with us! We just can’t help ourselves!"

The courtyard erupted into another round of laughter.

Several girls clutched their stomachs. Others exchanged excited glances, apparently finding Shasa’s attempt to intimidate them even more adorable than her cheeks.

Shasa stood there in stunned silence.

She had warned them.

She had been perfectly clear.

So why were they laughing?

And why did they look even more excited now?

These people are impossible!

Or did the words I’ll be angry somehow sound like an invitation to tease her even more?

Her cheeks puffed up as she glared at them.

She clenched her fists, fighting the urge to shove her way through the crowd and escape.

Honestly, what was wrong with these women?

Couldn’t they understand a simple warning?

Or did the words I’ll be angry somehow sound like an invitation to tease her even more?

Shasa took another breath.

She was trying very hard to remain reasonable.

Really, she was.

Then another woman stepped forward.

Unlike the others, she didn’t even bother pretending to restrain herself.

She simply leaned closer, wearing a bright, expectant smile.

"Come on, just one more touch!"

S h a s a’ s e y e s w i d e n e d.

"D o n’ t y o u d a r e!"

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Authors Notes: Dear Readers, Thanks so much for joining me on this adventure! Your enthusiasm, feedback, and encouragement really keep me motivated to keep bringing *Grand Return System* into existence. If you’re loving the Chapters, I’d love it if you supported my book with a Powerstone, review, or even a Golden Ticket—it helps me develop as a writer and lets more readers enjoy the story. I look forward to hearing your ideas and thoughts, so please don’t hesitate to share!

With love,

Scoturn777

Creator of Grand Return System

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