Chapter 71: Malrik

The medical wing of Arkanis Academy was a surprisingly quiet place.

Too quiet.

Only the soft sound of healing crystals floating through the hallways and the occasional sigh of some student who had discovered too late that magical explosions hurt even with shields could be heard.

In room number seventeen…

A man slowly opened his eyes.

His vision was blurry.

The white ceiling.

The smell of medicinal herbs.

And a pain that seemed to run through every bone in his body.

"…Am I… still alive?"

A nurse looked up from her desk.

"Ah.

You're finally awake.

We thought you'd take another day."

Malrik tried to sit up.

He immediately regretted it.

"Ugh!"

His entire body protested.

The nurse sighed.

"I recommend you don't do that.

You have three fractured ribs.

A dislocated arm.

Five magical fissures.

And a mild spiritual concussion."

Malrik closed his eyes.

"…"

"That damn cat…"

The woman corrected as she wrote something.

"According to the report…

You tried again to steal the cat and…

One slap was enough to leave you like this."

"…"

"I know."

That was precisely the most humiliating part.

One.

Single.

Slap.

And he had spent almost a week unconscious.

---

Hours later…

Malrik finally managed to walk out of the building.

Limping.

With his left arm bandaged.

And his pride much more broken than the rest of his body.

The students began to murmur the moment they saw him.

"It's him."

"The inquisitor."

"The one who went flying."

"They say he landed over two hundred meters away."

"No. They say he bounced."

Malrik felt a twitch in his eye.

He kept walking.

"Poor guy…"

"I heard the cat didn't even get up."

"He just slapped him while sleeping."

Another twitch.

"Do you think if I ask the cat for an autograph…?"

Malrik clenched his fists.

Took a deep breath.

"Don't listen."

"Don't listen."

"Don't listen."

It worked…

For exactly three seconds.

Because a group of students ran past him.

One was wearing a t-shirt.

With a drawing of the Little Fat King.

And below it, it read:

"One slap is enough."

Malrik felt something inside him break.

"…"

"I'm going to kill that cat."

---

Naturally…

Five minutes later, he discovered that was impossible.

Because the first place he decided to go was the headmaster's office.

He walked in without knocking.

"Headmaster.

I need authorization to—"

The old man raised a hand.

"No."

Malrik blinked.

"But I didn't even tell you—"

"No."

"I want to—"

"No."

"How do you know what I'm going to—"

"Because you've had that look since you woke up."

The headmaster slowly placed his tea cup on the desk.

"You want to challenge student Kael again. The fact that we helped you heal doesn't mean everything is fine with the Church of Order."

Malrik fell silent.

"Yes."

"No."

"But—"

"No."

"Headmaster—"

"No."

Malrik took a deep breath.

"I just want to regain my prestige."

The headmaster nodded.

"I understand."

Then he took another sip of tea.

"No."

---

Half an hour later…

Malrik left the office with a completely defeated expression.

"He didn't even let me finish a sentence…"

He muttered to himself.

As he walked through the academy gardens, he began to hear another conversation.

"Did you see Kael's training?"

"Yeah. That dog is incredible."

"And the cat still doesn't walk."

"He has principles."

"I think it's just laziness."

Malrik gritted his teeth again.

"Now they're talking about the dog too…?"

That was worse.

Much worse.

Before, at least, he only had one enemy.

Now there were two.

---

Determined to regain a little dignity, Malrik made a decision.

"If I can't challenge the boy…

I'll do something simpler."

He looked toward the academy's huge bulletin board.

Many students gathered there.

Perfect.

He walked with a firm step until he stood in front of everyone.

He cleared his throat.

"Listen up!"

Several people turned their heads.

Malrik smiled.

"Good."

"Now for real."

"I want to announce that—"

Before he could finish the sentence…

A familiar voice sounded from behind.

"Hi."

Malrik felt a chill.

He slowly turned.

Kael was there.

With a tired expression.

The Little Fat King slept, as always, on his head.

Sir Dogerino walked elegantly beside him with the Sacred Stick between his teeth.

Kael raised a hand in greeting.

"Are you recovered yet?"

Malrik opened his mouth.

Closed it.

Opened it again.

He didn't know why…

But that question sounded completely sincere.

As if Kael was genuinely concerned.

"I-I…"

Kael smiled slightly.

"That's good.

I thought the slap had been stronger."

Absolute silence.

The entire courtyard stood still.

Malrik felt his soul slowly leave his body.

Behind Kael…

The Fat King opened one eye.

Looked at Malrik.

And…

Slowly raised a paw.

Just that.

He didn't even try to hit him.

But it was enough.

Malrik took three steps back out of pure instinct.

Several students began to laugh.

One.

Then another.

And another.

Until the entire courtyard burst into laughter.

Kael blinked, confused.

"Did I say something weird?"

Aurelion, who had just arrived, had to lean against a wall to keep from falling over laughing.

"No way!

You defeated him again without meaning to!"

Malrik stood still.

He looked at the cat.

Looked at the dog.

Looked at Kael.

And he understood a painful truth.

He had planned to regain his prestige…

And he had been awake in public for less than a minute before becoming the laughingstock of the entire academy again.

The laughter took almost a full minute to die down.

Malrik remained completely still.

Not because he wanted to.

But because he felt that any movement would only make things worse.

Kael still didn't understand what had just happened.

He looked around.

Then at Aurelion, who was still holding his stomach from laughing.

"What did I do?"

Aurelion tried to respond.

"You—"

He burst out laughing again.

"You asked if he was recovered!"

"Well, yes.

That's what you ask when someone gets out of the hospital."

"But then you reminded him it was a slap!"

Kael tilted his head slightly.

"Was that what I said?"

Aurelion ended up sitting on the ground.

"The worst part is that you didn't even mean it badly!"

The students started laughing again.

Malrik closed his eyes.

"…"

"Can someone please kill me?"

A passing teacher answered without stopping.

"No.

Requests for voluntary death must be submitted in writing."

Several people burst out laughing again.

Malrik felt the entire universe was conspiring against him.

---

Determined not to keep making a fool of himself, he took a deep breath.

"Fine."

He turned around.

"I'm leaving."

Kael raised a hand.

"Wait."

Malrik felt a chill.

"What…?"

Kael walked up to him.

He took a small jar from his backpack.

"Here."

"What is that?"

"Ointment for bruises.

Luna made it.

She says it works really well."

Malrik looked at the jar.

Then at Kael.

Then back at the jar.

His brain stopped working for several seconds.

"Are you… giving me medicine?"

"Yes.

You're still walking weird."

The entire courtyard fell silent.

Aurelion stopped laughing.

Even Darius, who had just arrived, watched the scene in surprise.

Malrik took the jar automatically.

"I…"

He didn't know what to say.

Kael smiled.

"Take care."

And he began to walk away.

As if that had been the most normal thing in the world.

Malrik stood still.

"…"

"What the hell…?"

---

Darius watched the scene with his arms crossed.

"You're too soft."

Kael shrugged.

"He just lost against the Fat King.

That doesn't mean he's a bad person."

Darius snorted.

"He tried to capture you."

"Yeah."

"And he also ended up plastered against half the academy."

"I guess we're even."

Darius stared at him.

Then he sighed.

"I don't understand how your head works."

Kael smiled tiredly.

"Believe me.

Neither do I."

---

Meanwhile…

Malrik was still holding the small jar.

A curious student approached him.

"What did he give you?"

"Medicine."

"…"

"The guy you tried to arrest?"

"Yeah."

"…"

"That must have hurt more than the slap."

Malrik felt another twitch in his eye.

"Shut up."

---

However…

Not everyone was laughing.

From the second floor of the academy, a teacher watched the scene in silence.

"Interesting…"

Another instructor appeared beside him.

"What's going on?"

"Look."

He discreetly pointed at Kael.

"That boy doesn't even hold grudges."

The second teacher smiled.

"That can be a virtue."

"Or a problem."

"Why?"

"Because good people tend to attract too many people."

Down in the courtyard…

Several students had already gathered around Kael to ask questions about Sir Dogerino.

"Did he really split a mountain?"

"Can he fetch my stick?"

"Can I pet him?"

Sir Dogerino began wagging his tail with absolute happiness.

"Woof!"

Kael smiled.

"I think so…

As long as they don't take his stick."

A student slowly reached out his hand.

Sir Dogerino sniffed it.

And let him pet his head.

"He's soft!"

"Very much!"

"I want one!"

The dog looked completely happy.

Very different…

From the Fat King.

The enormous cat opened one eye.

He observed the entire crowd.

He snorted with evident contempt.

"Meow."

And he turned his body to keep sleeping.

A student murmured.

"I think he doesn't like us."

Kael shook his head.

"No.

That's how he shows affection."

Aurelion burst out laughing.

"Really?"

"No.

I think he actually doesn't like you."

Even the Fat King seemed to nod.

"Meow."

---

Malrik watched the scene from afar.

That boy…

Wasn't what he expected.

He didn't show off.

Didn't try to humiliate him.

He didn't even seem to remember they were enemies.

He just kept living with absolute normality.

That…

Was disconcerting.

He looked at the small jar in his hands.

Then he sighed.

"What a strange guy…"

He tucked the ointment into his pocket.

And, for the first time since meeting Kael…

He didn't feel like confronting him.

He just wanted to understand him.

---

Far away from there…

In a huge white cathedral…

Grand Inquisitor Aldren received a report.

He read it once.

Then again.

Finally, he slammed the table in frustration.

"What does this mean?"

The messenger swallowed.

"Our observers report that…

Kael Veyron gave medicine to Inquisitor Malrik."

Aldren slowly closed his eyes.

"…"

"After defeating him?"

"Yes."

"And Malrik accepted it?"

"Also."

The old man took a deep breath.

"Perfect…

Now even my own men are starting to sympathize with him."

He crumpled the report in his hands.

Every day it became harder to present Kael as a threat.

Because the boy kept doing exactly the opposite of what anyone expected.

And that…

Was much more dangerous for the Church's plans than any battle.