Chapter 100: Chapter 100: All Clever Schemes Crumble When Karma Comes Knocking

I dragged my broken body forward and the stares followed.

The press department students looked like starving dogs watching a steak walk past them. Their eyes were practically glowing with eagerness to dash toward me and bombard questions about the reward.

But they held back. Maybe it was the blood drying on my clothes or this broken body and its condition. Maybe they figured this wasn’t the right moment. Maybe they pitied the half-dead man stumbling through the arena.

Too bad for them. I was more than eager to answer.

But before I could reach them, a familiar presence cut through the crowd.

Aria marched toward me carrying the same anger she always reserved specifically for my existence.

“Didn’t I order you something?”

I looked at her with the most obedient, puppy-eyed expression I could manage. “Yes ma’am. And that’s exactly why I’m here.”

She said in confusion, “What are you talking about?”

“Didn’t you just say that I’ll have to take the hard responsibility of making the decision for the reward?”

She stared at me.

Dead. Silent. Unblinking.

Several seconds passed like that. Then she let out a long sigh that carried the exhaustion of someone who had been tolerating a pest for far too long.

“You are insufferable.”

She turned and walked away.

I shouted at her back. “Oh, by the way! Jokes aside, thank you for considering my little efforts and praising me in front of them!”

Her body twitched for a fraction of a second. Maybe anger. Maybe something else. But she didn’t stop. Didn’t turn. Just kept walking until she disappeared from view.

I watched her go.

Then dismissed her from my mind completely. Because right now my brain had a solid reward locked in. And it required an audience.

I found one of the senior press students and straightened my back. Every ounce of pain vanished from my posture. Gone. Like I hadn’t just been impaled twenty minutes ago.

“Aren’t you hungry for the scoop?”

He looked confused.

I tilted my head. “Do those magic circles only convey messages within the academy? Or can the recordings be transmitted beyond it?”

He blinked a few times before answering. “The magic circles record a person and those recordings can be transmitted beyond the academy if required.”

I grinned. “Good. So what are you waiting for? Don’t you have questions for me?”

It took them a few seconds to process. Then they closed the gap in a frenzy. Magic circles raised. Faces hungry.

“Deculein! How were you able to defeat both members of the hero’s party?”

“Mr. Deculein! When and from whom did you learn the mastery of the axe?”

“Young Lord Deculein! Tell us why you fought against your own party members! And why did you support Lady Aria?”

My face must have looked like someone who just stumbled into a yuri Chapter without any prior warning.

Not a single question was the one I was standing here so eagerly to answer.

Several more rounds of useless garbage followed. How did you feel during the battle? What do you think of Lady Aria’s dark magic? Is there romantic tension between you and her?

I was done.

I faked a cough to shut them up. A signal that the injured hero was about to grace them with his words.

Except the cough turned real. Blood splattered into my fist.

I quietly hid my hand behind my back.

“Oh yeah. That’s a good question.” I nodded like someone had asked something profound. “Reward, huh. Well, I didn’t think much about it honestly. I didn’t want anything from this fight. But to honor the battle, I suppose I’ll have to choose something.”

Before I could deliver my beautiful, carefully twisted answer, one boy jumped in.

“So what do you think? An S-tier item? A weapon from the Imperial Palace? Maybe even SS-rank would be granted! And what do you think about the limitations Princess Angelica placed on the reward?”

I wanted to grab his throat and say keep your fucking mouth shut.

But I was putting on a saint act right now. And saints didn’t strangle journalists.

So I crafted my most gentle, most humble, most disgustingly virtuous expression.

“You can put those worries and possibilities to rest. I’m not that greedy.” I placed a hand over my heart. “Besides, I didn’t fight for some reward. I just wanted to help a friend of mine.”

Before that same fucker could open his mouth to inevitably bring up Aria as the friend, I cut in first.

“Actually, I just thought of something. A better reward. One that wouldn’t result in any loss from their treasuries. Something that would simply serve the spirit of the bet in the most respectful way.”

Every magic circle tilted closer.

“What is it?” they asked almost in unison.

“I heard there’s a truthseeker in the Holy Order. Someone who can detect lies and expose deception.”

I paused. Let the silence build. “So I just want some time with them. I want to show the world a truth.”

My eyes drifted through the crowd and found Charlotte. Sitting on the ground. Already putting the pieces together. Terror crawling across her face.

I pointed at her. “I want to tell the whole world how much we love each other. And how this world doesn’t want us to be together.”

Silence.

Then one confused boy spoke bluntly. “But wasn’t your relationship ended because you cheated? Even Princess Charlotte herself confessed that publicly.”

I let my expression fall. Sad. Dramatic. A man whose love story was torn apart by fate.

“That’s what we call losing something precious to save something precious.”

Their faces twisted with confusion.

“Tell me something.” My voice softened. “What would you do if the person you loved the most was in danger? Just because of you. Just because your family despised the other. And even threatened to kill them.”

I let the weight of that question settle. “Wouldn’t you cut off every tie to save that person? Wouldn’t you forfeit your love just to protect their life?”

My eyes grew heavier.

“That’s what she did for me. And that’s why I’m here. This is the best opportunity to show the world the real truth. And maybe with the support of the people, we can finally be together.”

I looked directly into the nearest magic circle.

“So all I’m asking is this. Let Charlotte answer some of my questions tomorrow. In the presence of the Holy Truthseeker. Let the world see what our relationship actually was.”

Charlotte looked like her soul had packed its bags and left her body entirely. Every drop of color drained from her face. She knew. She knew exactly what I was plotting.

I turned back to the press with a weakened smile.

“I hope the Imperial Family doesn’t deny this small request of mine. And I hope the arrangement can be made by tomorrow.”

I wobbled on my feet. Let the fatigue show. “Looks like my body is giving up. Can someone here support me and take me to the medical department?”

-x-X-x-

[Later that night]

I was healed completely. Every wound gone like it never existed. Even the cuts on my face had vanished without leaving a single scar.

But the blood loss from earlier still had me woozy. My head felt like it was floating three inches above my neck.

I was laid on my bed preparing the epic lines for tomorrow’s performance. Rehearsing each phrase. Tweaking the delivery. Perfecting the emotional beats.

Then someone knocked on my door.

I got up. Opened it.

Charlotte.

Her face was carrying enough rage to burn the entire academy to ash. Before I could greet her, she grabbed my collar and shoved me backward into my own room.

I stumbled but caught my balance and smiled.

“Hey, don’t be so aggressive, my love.”

“Stop fooling around.” Her voice was low. Dangerous. “Tell me what the hell you are plotting.”

I grabbed both of her hands. Pulled them off my collar. Held them down at her sides. Still locked in my grip.

The playfulness drained from my face. “Don’t you still get it?” My voice was cold now. “Or are you that dumb?”

I released her hands. Walked past her. Sat down on the edge of the bed.

Then looked up at her with rage burning in my eyes. “You know, all clever schemes crumble the moment karma comes to collect.”

She stood frozen. Jaw tight.

“And for you? I am that karma. And I will make sure to ruin your life.”

She was cursing me from every corner of her mind. I could see it boiling behind those eyes. But she swallowed it all.

Then sighed.

“Tell me, Deculein. What do you want from me?” Her voice was quieter now. Controlled. “I can give you anything. Except our marriage.”

I leaned back slightly.

Let a lazy grin spread across my face.

And hovered my hand slowly toward my crotch.

“Then how about a blowjob?”

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