Chapter 77: Observation Class (3)

At that moment, Yuren’s desperate cry rang out like a shout over the edge of a blade, cutting through the violent tension in the air. “Stop! Both of you, please! What are you two doing, fighting like this inside the academy?”

Rosanna frowned and clicked her tongue at his scolding. She let out a deep sigh and gave a reluctant nod, perhaps realizing that she had crossed a line.

Then she said to me, “Fine. Now, would you kindly let go of my arm?”

“Yes, ma’am,” I replied.

Rosanna’s expression twisted with fury. “Ma’am?”

A thick vein bulged on her forehead. She seemed ready to lash out again, but instead clicked her tongue and turned her head. “Haah! I suppose I shouldn’t expect noble manners from a Republic mutt.”

“Oh, my apologies. I didn’t realize noble manners involved trying to slap your child across the face in front of everyone. My bad for not knowing,” I replied.

My sharp retort made Rosanna’s eyes narrow dangerously, and she bit her lip in irritation. “You little!”

All of a sudden, her golden eyes gleamed as though an idea had struck her. “Did you say your name was Dale?”

“Yes.”

“And where are your parents now?”

I stared at her with a look of disbelief, half-laughing internally. This is the brilliant idea she came up with, huh? Is this really Yuren’s mother?

Just because someone shared blood didn’t mean they shared personality, but this level of spitefulness was absurd. Then again, maybe Yuren was the odd one out.

The Helios family was descended from Reynald Helios, the leader of the Great Five Heroes, who had sealed the Demon God five hundred years ago. He was known as the greatest swordsman in human history. Because of him, the family’s influence had grown so vast that even the Empire’s emperor treaded lightly around them. Eventually, their pride turned to blindness, and the family began to decline slowly.

Now, they were just people drunk on past glory, unable to see the cliff right in front of them. One bard once called the Helios family “a house blinded by the sun.” I had always thought that was just jealous gossip. But after meeting Rosanna, I could see why that phrase stuck.

Rosanna continued in a harsh voice, “Well? I asked you a question. Where are your parents?”

Before I could reply, Yuren carefully said, “Mother, Dale is—”

“Quiet, Yuren. I’m not asking you.” Rosanna locked her eyes with mine.

I let out a small chuckle and answered calmly, “If I knew where my parents were, I’d be thrilled to find out myself.”

She squinted, clearly not understanding. “What?”

I explained simply that I was raised in a Republic orphanage.

Rosanna’s eyes sharpened even further. “Hah! So, even a parentless nobody dares to insult the Helios family?”

“Let’s get this straight, ma’am. When exactly did I insult your family?”

All I had done was call her “ma’am.” That was it.

She snorted. “You talk back pretty clearly for someone who was never properly raised.”

“And you fumble your words a lot for someone with such a fine education,” I replied.

“W-what did you just say? You insolent little?”

“See? Proving my point.”

Rosanna’s face flushed red with rage. “Y-you!”

Mana surged violently from her, and she stepped toward me, fury boiling once more. Just when things were about to get ugly again, a massive shadow loomed over us.

A hulking man with a fierce, beast-like presence, more bear than human, walked over. “Dale? What’s going on here?”

“Professor Kane?”

“Oh, Yuren. You’re here too. And this must be…” Professor Kane’s gaze landed on Rosanna.

Just like that, her face, which had been twisted with rage, smoothed out in an instant. She lifted the edge of her dress with a graceful curtsy and smoothly said, “Rosanna Helios.”

“Ah, you must be Yuren’s mother.”

“Yes. And you must be Professor Kane, the one in charge of the third-year Warrior Division, correct?”

He nodded. “That’s right. In any case, may I ask what you were all doing back here? The parent observation area is over at the plaza.”

“Well, I’m glad you’re here. I was just about to bring this up.” Rosanna’s lips curled into a thin, polite smile as she stepped closer to Professor Lucas. “Professor, are you familiar with this cadet named Dale?”

“Yes, of course. He’s one of my students.”

“Oh? Well, that’s convenient.” She crossed her arms elegantly and turned toward me. “This orphan dared to insult our noble house, and—”

“Hmm? Orphan, you said?” Professor Kane tilted his head, genuinely confused.

Visibly thrown off by the unexpected reaction, Rosanna replied hesitantly, “Yes? He just admitted he was from a Republic orphanage.”

“Ah, yes, that’s true. He was raised in a Republic orphanage, but he has an adoptive father now.” Professor Kane’s mouth pulled into a wide grin as he casually slung his arm around my shoulder. “And that father… is me.”

Rosanna’s jaw dropped. “Excuse me?”

Professor Kane, still smiling, gave my shoulder a tight squeeze and turned to me, winking. “Isn’t that right, son?”

I couldn’t help but let out a silent laugh. He had indeed overheard the earlier conversation. His timing had been suspiciously perfect, so I had figured as much. He was probably eavesdropping on our conversation and waiting nearby, ready to step in the moment things got too heated.

Professor Kane indeed possessed serious busybody energy. Then again, I wasn’t exactly in a position to talk; I had butted into someone else’s family drama myself.

I nodded shamelessly, playing along. “Yes, Father.”

Rosanna’s face twisted in frustration. Whether what Professor Kane said about being my father was true or not, it put her in an undeniably awkward spot. No matter how furious she was, she couldn’t openly insult a cadet whose “father” was one of the school’s professors, especially not in front of him.

“If my son was disrespectful, then allow me to apologize on his behalf,” Professor Kane said.

“Ah… There is no need to!”

Professor Kane laughed heartily as he gave me a few hearty slaps on the back with a hand the size of a pot lid. “He’s not the brightest, this one. There’s a reason he’s dead last in the year.”

Watching him talk me down with such ease, Rosanna narrowed her eyes at me, clearly irritated but unable to argue further.

Still half-draped over my shoulder, Professor Kane began dragging me off toward the building. “Well then, the observation classes should be starting soon. Let’s head to the lecture hall, shall we?”

While being hauled along, I leaned over and whispered, just loud enough so Rosanna couldn’t hear. “Do I… really have to come too?”

“Of course, you do.”

“But the observation class is only for cadets whose parents show up.”

He grinned and pointed a thumb at himself. “Well, you’ve got a parent right here.”

I stared at him, deadpan. “You’re committing to this bit, huh?”

“This bit? Don’t you know? A teacher is the second parent of their students.”

I truly appreciated the sentiment. It was kind of him to step in and cover for me like that. But if this got out, it could cause him trouble. I wasn’t the only cadet he was in charge of. There had to be other cadets whose parents hadn’t shown up for the visit. If it became known that I got special treatment, participating in a parent-only event because the professor stepped in, it could hurt his reputation. Rumors would spread. Favoritism. Bias. That kind of thing. And he would be the one to take the heat.

“When did you start caring so much about other people, huh?” I asked.

Apparently sensing my hesitation, Professor Kane chuckled and ruffled my hair roughly. “Kids aren’t supposed to worry about their parents. Got it, brat?”

His words shut me up. I thought I had grown numb to the concept of “parents” in my past life. After everything I had been through, I didn’t think that kind of bond could stir anything in me anymore. But right now, something in my chest felt heavy, like storm clouds gathering over my heart. If I let my guard down even for a second, the rain would spill from my eyes without warning.

He really was a softhearted meddler. It only made accepting his kindness harder for me.

Then there was Yuren. I turned to glance back at him. He was quietly following behind Rosanna, his face pale and drawn, like a prisoner being marched to his execution. Being stuck attending the rest of the observation session alone with his mother—especially after what had just happened—would definitely be unbearable for him. There was only one way to help him and avoid accepting Professor Kane’s help outright.

So, I said, “Tch. Guess I don’t have a choice.”

“What don’t you have a choice about?” Professor Kane asked.

“My apologies, Father.”

“Huh?”

I jabbed my fingers into his ribs.

“Gah! You little! What the hell?” he yelled.

His arm, which had been wrapped tightly around my neck, loosened. I twisted free and bolted toward Yuren.

Yuren was surprised to see me again. “D-Dale?”

I grabbed his arm. “We’re ditching.”

“Ditching? Wait, ditching what?”

Yanking Yuren’s arm, I stomped down with force. “What else? Class.”

I activated the Berald Combat Style: Wind Step. My body became light as if wings had sprouted from my back. The scenery around us blurred and streaked past in a rush.

Voices shouted after us.

“Hey, you little punk! Where the hell do you think you’re going?”

“Yuren! What do you think you’re doing?”

I ignored them and sprinted straight toward the academy gate.

Yuren, being dragged along by the arm, called out in a panic. “W-wait, Dale! Hold on a second!”

“What? Don’t want to ditch?”

“It’s not that, it’s just…” He trailed off, turning his head to glance back. The academy was already far behind us.

For someone like Yuren—who had stayed at the top of his year for three years running, who had lived with the utmost discipline—a reckless act like skipping class without permission was unthinkable. I could tell that Rosanna’s twisted, furious face was probably flashing through his mind, just the thought of facing her wrath later sending chills down his spine.

“Want to go back?” I asked.

For some reason, he shook his head. “No…”

He didn’t want to go back. Just for a little while longer, he wanted to bask in this rush of rebellion.

I grinned. “Alright then. Let’s ditch together.”

Together, the two of us leaped over the academy wall and vanished.

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