Chapter 84: Dirty

The atmosphere in the long corridor of the Royal Magic Academy became heavy the moment Aldric appeared.

The arm Rhea had broken had already been treated, but a thin layer of bandages still wrapped around it. Every time his hand moved, a dull ache spread through the limb, reminding him of the humiliation he had suffered.

Walking behind Aldric was a girl dressed in a gray secretary uniform, her brown hair neatly tied behind her head. She held a thick notebook against her chest while the fountain pen in her hand moved continuously.

Her name was Mira.

Ever since leaving Kiyome, she had never stopped recording, no matter what Aldric said or did.

The constant scratch of the pen against paper irritated Aldric, but he forced himself to ignore it. He had not come here to cause trouble this time.

At least, that was what he told himself.

After his previous failure with Rhea, Aldric had spent a great deal of time thinking.

Strength could not make her submit.

Status could not move her either.

That meant he needed to change his approach.

No matter how powerful a woman was, she was still a woman.

Flowers, compliments, and a little patience would surely work.

The moment Aldric saw Rhea approaching from the far end of the corridor, his eyes immediately lit up. He quickly adjusted his collar and forced what he believed to be his most gentlemanly smile onto his face.

However, that smile immediately stiffened when he noticed the person walking beside her.

Lathel was still wearing a loose cloak that covered most of his body. Part of his face was hidden beneath the fabric, but Aldric only needed to see that figure to recognize him.

What irritated Aldric even more was how close Rhea was walking to Lathel.

Their shoulders almost touched, and her bare hand occasionally rested against his back, as though she were afraid he might disappear the moment he left her reach.

Aldric clenched his jaw, then took a deep breath and forced down his anger.

He could not fail again.

"Rhea."

Aldric stepped forward, his voice unnaturally gentle.

"What a coincidence. I was just about to look for you."

Rhea stopped.

Lathel stopped with her.

Rhea’s indifferent gaze swept over Aldric before settling on his bandaged arm.

"Looks like you found a decent Healer."

The corner of Aldric’s mouth twitched.

Her words were no different from reminding him how badly he had been beaten.

"It was only a minor injury."

Aldric forced himself to smile, then took a bouquet of white flowers wrapped in silver silk from his spatial ring.

"There was a slight misunderstanding between us last time. I think I was too impatient, so today I wanted to start over."

The pure white petals released a faint fragrance.

Every flower still carried droplets of dew, clearly having been freshly picked not long ago.

The bouquet alone was worth several months of living expenses for an ordinary family.

Mira immediately lowered her head and began writing.

"On the second day after Judicator Rhea broke Lord Aldric’s arm, Lord Aldric changed tactics and approached the target using white flowers and softer language..."

Her voice was not loud.

But in the quiet corridor, every word reached Aldric’s ears clearly.

The smile on his face nearly disappeared.

"Mira, you don’t need to read it aloud."

"It is a habit that helps me ensure the record contains no inaccuracies."

Mira answered calmly while her pen continued moving.

Aldric gritted his teeth, then forced himself to focus on Rhea again.

He extended the bouquet toward her, his expression so sincere that he nearly moved even himself.

"Rhea, I know I made you uncomfortable last time, but I believe you also understand my sincerity. You spared my life, which proves that there is still a possibility between us..."

A hand covered in a black glove rested on the bouquet.

For one moment, Aldric thought Rhea had accepted it.

Then the white flowers were crushed.

Petals scattered across the stone floor while the stems bent and broke inside her hand.

"I spared your life," Rhea said slowly, "but that does not mean you can buzz around in front of me like a fly."

The corridor fell silent.

Mira lowered her head again and wrote.

"Judicator Rhea rejected the bouquet and compared Lord Aldric to an irritating insect..."

"Shut up!"

Aldric roared.

Mira immediately stopped speaking.

But her hand continued writing.

Aldric stared at the petals scattered across the floor, his face alternating between red and pale.

Several students walking through the far end of the corridor had already stopped to watch.

Although they deliberately kept their distance, he could still feel their mocking gazes.

The humiliation quickly turned into anger.

Aldric pointed at Lathel.

"Is it because of this useless bastard? Rhea, I genuinely don’t understand. He’s nothing more than a mute. He barely has any mana. What qualification does someone like him have to stand beside you?"

Lathel lowered his head slightly.

Rhea’s gaze instantly turned cold.

Aldric either failed to notice the change or was already too angry to care.

He continued:

"What can he do without hiding behind women? He used to hide behind Lilith, and now he clings to you. I’ve never seen a man more useless and pathetic."

Rhea stepped forward and completely blocked Lathel behind her.

The movement came naturally, yet carried an overwhelming pressure, like a ruler shielding something that belonged under her protection.

"Are you finished?"

Rhea’s voice was very calm.

That calmness made Aldric remember the moment she had broken his arm.

He unconsciously stepped half a pace backward.

The moment he realized it, his pride forced him to straighten again.

"I’m only telling the truth."

"I don’t care whether he is powerful, nor do I care what he can do," Rhea replied indifferently. "As long as I want him standing beside me, no one here has the right to drive him away."

She grabbed Lathel’s wrist and pulled him closer to her.

"Your presence, on the other hand, is making this place filthy."

Aldric’s eyes widened.

"What did you say?"

"I like cleanliness."

Rhea looked at him as though he were an unpleasant stain.

"So before I decide to clean this place myself, you should disappear."

The sound of Mira’s pen started again.

"Judicator Rhea declared that Lord Aldric is contaminating the surrounding environment and issued a final warning..."

Aldric whipped around.

"I told you to shut up!"

Mira froze.

She hugged the notebook more tightly against her chest but still tried to remain calm.

"I was ordered to record all of your actions and statements. If you do not want something to appear in the report, you may change your behavior."

A faint laugh came from the students watching from a distance.

The final thread inside Aldric’s mind snapped.

He stepped forward and swung his hand toward Mira’s face.

"You bitch! Who do you think you’re talking to?!"

Mira was only a secretary.

She did not possess enough combat ability to avoid a slap from Aldric.

But before his hand could reach her face, a figure rushed forward.

Smack!

Aldric’s hand was stopped.

The person standing in front of Mira was not Rhea.

It was Lathel.

One of his hands gripped Aldric’s wrist.

His strength was clearly insufficient. His arm was already trembling beneath Aldric’s force, yet he did not step back.

Lathel raised his head, his violet eyes staring directly at Aldric.

He could not speak.

But the determination in those eyes replaced every word he could not say.

Mira stared blankly at the back in front of her.

She could not believe Lathel had stepped forward to protect her.

They had only just met.

They had never even exchanged a single sentence before.

He clearly knew that he was no match for Aldric.

Yet he had not hesitated.

Even Aldric froze for a moment.

Then he laughed in fury.

"You want to play the hero?"

Lathel did not release his wrist.

"A useless bastard like you dares to stop me?"

Mana erupted from Aldric’s body.

He violently pulled his wrist free, making Lathel stagger backward, then clenched his hand into a fist.

"Then I’ll show you the consequences!"

The mana-covered fist shot straight toward Lathel’s face.

A black-gloved hand appeared between them.

Rhea easily caught the fist.

The mana surrounding Aldric’s hand dispersed the moment it touched her glove.

He tried to pull away, but Rhea’s five fingers were like a steel lock, completely immovable.

"I just told you," Rhea said while staring directly into his eyes, "he is under my protection."

A cracking sound came from Aldric’s wrist.

His expression immediately changed.

Rhea tilted her head, her voice still terrifyingly calm.

"If you cannot remember that, I’ll help you remember for a very long time."