Chapter 153 Meeting an Acquaintance

Suren and Sabina were led around the academy by Jike.

They originally thought that having a guide would save them the trouble of asking for directions or looking at signs.

But they didn't expect that after walking for a while, Jike would actually say they were going the wrong way.

After passing another intersection, Suren and the others saw a magnificent, spire-topped chapel. Through the chapel's glass windows, they could see a group of beautiful female students wearing ballet costumes, rehearsing.

But this was not the library they had been expecting.

Jike looked at the surroundings and finally wore an embarrassed expression. He said, "Ah... Teacher, we seem to have come to the chapel. This is the opposite direction from the library."

Suren and Sabina couldn't help but smile wryly.

This kind of outrageous mistake could only be made by a student who stayed at home all the time and never participated in group activities.

Jike also felt quite embarrassed, and explained, "I haven't really wandered around the campus much either. The places I go to most often are the potion academy's archives and laboratory. I don't know how I ended up here..."

Suren smiled and comforted him, "It's okay. The scenery of the academy is very good. It's nice to wander around a bit."

...

The three of them had gone the wrong way, so they changed direction and walked back.

Suren asked Jike about his life at the Royal Academy.

But Jike had very few interesting things to say.

His life seemed to consist only of the laboratory and the library. He spent his time either studying and researching or doing experiments, which was monotonous and dull.

After all, this was the Royal Academy. Suren could see that his disciple only became energetic when talking about explosives, and had a kind of deep-seated loneliness and inferiority in his life.

The three of them hadn't walked far when Suren noticed a gaze searching for them from the direction of the small chapel behind them.

Then they heard a series of light footsteps.

Turning around, they saw a girl chasing after them. She seemed to recognize Jike, who was wearing his hat low, and called out in a tentative tone, "Jike?"

Suren stopped when he heard someone call Jike's name.

Jike glanced back, his expression becoming a little evasive.

He seemed to know the girl, but didn't want to meet her.

The girl ran over excitedly, still wearing her ballet dress, "Jike, is it really you?"

Looking at Jike, her pretty face couldn't hide her joy. "Did you come to watch us rehearse? Sibel said she saw you earlier, but I thought she was mistaken."

Jike looked a little flustered, deliberately turning his face away to hide his burned left cheek. "I... I don't..."

Suren watched his evasive expression and immediately understood that he had met a girl he liked. He smiled and asked, "Jike, is this your classmate?"

Jike nodded, looking somewhat embarrassed, but still wanted to escape.

The girl didn't seem to mind and performed a curtsy like a noble lady, introducing herself to Suren, "Hello, sir. My name is Phoebe Shelley, and I'm Jike's classmate."

Jike was afraid that his teacher would offend a noble without knowing, so he quickly added, "Phoebe's father is a noble hereditary baron of the empire."

Suren didn't say anything, but immediately understood where his disciple's inferiority complex came from.

In Luying, nobles and commoners were two different classes of people.

And for nobles, marriage was the most stable and lasting way to exchange benefits. So usually their children would never marry commoners. This kind of secret affection was usually doomed to failure.

Suren thought of the love story of the great writer Fujiwara Hayato and his great-grandmother Katyusha. The scenery was beautiful, but ultimately could not overcome the gap in status.

"Oh? A noble..."

Sabina, who was beside him, heard this and her eyes sparkled with a smile. "No wonder classmate Phoebe is so beautiful and well-mannered."

"Thank you for your compliment."

The girl blushed slightly when praised. She also showed her good upbringing, responding politely, "You are also the most charming lady I have ever seen."

Sabina looked at the little girl, her eyebrows curved with a smile, as if she was very satisfied.

Suren also thought it was quite good.

At least she didn't mind Jike's commoner status, and she had clearly seen the scars on Jike's face but didn't mention them.

This was a kind-hearted girl.

After the courteous greetings, Phoebe looked at Jike again, and smiled slyly, "Jike, were you secretly watching me rehearse just now?"

Her playful, toothy smile directly dissolved the embarrassment of being caught in the act, and she added generously, "Actually, you don't have to come secretly. If you tell me in advance, I would be very happy for you to watch my rehearsal."

Simple words boldly expressed a girl's affection, but Jike probably didn't understand.

But he really didn't come to watch the rehearsal, and stammered, "No. I... I'm accompanying my teacher..."

Phoebe looked at Suren and Sabina again and blinked, "Teacher?"

Children from upper-class society all had various tutors, so it was not strange to have a teacher.

Sabina smiled and corrected, "We are Jike's family."

Hearing this, Phoebe was slightly surprised.

Although neither Suren nor Sabina had any emblems to show their noble status, their clothes and demeanor were clearly extraordinary.

She didn't seem to have heard that Jike had such family members.

But she didn't care, and changed the subject, "Jike, I haven't seen you for a long time recently. Are you still always staying in the laboratory? I've told you, you need to go out and walk around."

Jike looked very unnatural, especially in front of his teacher, and was so embarrassed that he almost stuttered, "Yeah... I... I..."

Although Suren didn't know what experiences the two had before, he could see that they both had a light in their eyes when they looked at each other.

His disciple was obviously too insecure to respond to the girl's enthusiasm.

Suren felt that he should help Jike build some confidence, and originally wanted to invite the girl to have lunch together or something. But just then, a group of young students saw the group and hurried over.

There were both boys and girls, and from the emblems on their clothes, it could be seen that they were some minor nobles.

These people walked over with arrogant expressions.

Someone called out to Phoebe, "Phoebe, the next rehearsal is about to start. What are you doing here?"

Walking closer, the leading brown-haired boy pretended to recognize Jike, and said in a strange tone, "Oh... who is this? Isn't this our class's 'ammunition genius' Jike? Tsk tsk... why aren't you staying in your utility room? What happened to your face? And your fingers are blown off?"

He originally came to see Miss Phoebe's holiday celebration rehearsal, who had a high possibility of becoming his "fiancée", but he didn't expect to encounter a toad. Naturally, he wasn't in a good mood.

"..."

Jike didn't say anything when he heard these obviously mocking words. His inferiority due to his status made him unable to lift his head.

Seeing this, the brown-haired boy sneered again, his eyes full of disdain. He turned to Phoebe and said, "Phoebe, why are you with this kind of person? If your uncle knew, he would definitely say that I didn't take good care of you at the academy."

Phoebe clearly knew that these people were here to mock Jike, just like many times in the past.

She said without a good expression, "Classmate Tim, I'm not that familiar with you, okay!"

Saying that, she directly took Jike's hand, "Let's go, Jike. Let's go somewhere else."

"You...!"

This protective action made the brown-haired boy named Tim even more gloomy.

Just then, the skinny, blond lackey beside him suddenly noticed the golden pocket watch hanging on Jike's chest, and quickly snatched it off.

After seeing the trademark on the pocket watch clearly, the lackey immediately seemed to have found a new target, and suddenly said in a strange tone, "Oh... everyone, look, our classmate Jike is actually wearing a 'Patek Philippe Warrior's Heart'! Wow, a limited edition pocket watch worth more than a million risos."

As soon as he said that, the other students immediately followed suit and mocked him.

"Tsk tsk, classmate Jike is really rich. I pulled some strings but couldn't buy this limited edition mechanical pocket watch. You actually have one?"

"Hehe, maybe he picked it up. After all, I heard he often goes to the academy's waste disposal room to pick up materials..."

"Hahaha, Jike's family is a big fur merchant. How can you say he picked it up?"

"..."

The mockery was like a sharp sword, piercing people's dignity and making it bleed.

Jike mustered up his courage, snatched back the pocket watch, and shouted angrily, "Give it back to me! This is mine!"

He could be humiliated himself, but this was a gift from an elder, and he would never allow it to be desecrated.

The lackey understood young master Tim's hint, so how could he easily let it go? He grabbed Jike's collar and said aggressively, "Hey, I just lost an expensive pocket watch, and now I suspect it was stolen. Come with me to the school office!"

Although he knew that the other party was deliberately making trouble, Jike still argued, "This is a pocket watch given to me by an elder! It's not the one you lost!"

Those young nobles had naturally noticed Suren and Sabina a long time ago.

But seeing that neither of them had any emblems showing their noble status, they didn't take them seriously.

Besides, this Jike was a well-known poor wretch, just the son of a fur merchant. If he really had a strong background, he wouldn't have lived in the utility room for so long.

They thought, if these two dared to stand up for him, they would definitely let them know the consequences of offending a noble!

The blond lackey was unrelenting, "Hmph, is it up to you to decide? Come with me to the school office, and someone will naturally judge!"

The truth didn't matter. He just wanted to publicly humiliate this ignorant toad for young master Tim.

"You're going too far!"

Phoebe shouted anxiously.

She was also shocked to hear this. If they really went to the school office, it would be difficult to explain.

She knew very well that commoner students like Jike couldn't reason with them, and if it was a big deal, he would most likely be expelled from the academy!

But, such an expensive pocket watch...

She suddenly looked at Jike's two elders.

...

Suren had been watching coldly from the sidelines. Listening to the conversation, he knew that this was probably Jike's rival in love.

This girl Phoebe was quite good-looking, and was obviously the type that boys would like.

But it was normal for people of this age to be jealous and fight for love.

He originally didn't plan to get involved, and was just watching silently from the side.

But now... he had to intervene.

Campus bullying really existed everywhere.

Under normal circumstances, some noble students bullying commoner students was one of their daily amusements, and no one would care.

If a commoner was bullied, they could only endure it.

Because in Luying, even offending a noble with a look in your eyes was a serious crime that could lead to imprisonment.

Even the purpose of the academy recruiting commoners was to raise a few carp to stimulate these young noble fish, and to give the young fish a place to show their sense of superiority.

Unfortunately, they had provoked the wrong person this time.

Before Suren could speak, Sabina said lightly, "I gave this pocket watch to Jike."

She had no interest in making things difficult for a group of teenagers.

But she didn't expect that this group of young nobles was not easy to deal with at all.

Although Sabina was wearing a wide-brimmed hat with black gauze covering half of her face, the blond lackey was quite shocked by her beauty, but deliberately mocked, "Auntie, who are you?"

As a professional intelligence agent, Sabina had already identified their family backgrounds from the noble emblems on these people. Hearing this, she retorted coldly, "A bought baronetcy and a hereditary viscount. Is this low-level noble status the source of your arrogance?"

Nobles were a class above commoners.

But in fact, there was also a chain of ridicule among nobles.

Duke, Marquis, Earl, Viscount, Baron, the ranks of nobility were the chain of contempt.

Earl and above were called high-level nobles, and below were low-level nobles.

That Tim was a hereditary viscount.

The blond was a baronet, and could even be considered a pseudo-noble.

Sabina's condescending and arrogant tone really stunned those teenagers.

Offending a high-level noble as a low-level noble was also a big trouble.

Tim then seriously sized up Suren and his companion. He then showed the etiquette that a noble should have, and first introduced himself, "I am Tim Price. May I ask who the lady is?"

Sabina played the arrogance of a high-level noble to the fullest. Hearing the question, she didn't even look at this kid, and instead of answering, she asked, "Do you really want to know who I am?"

After a pause, she said in a deep voice, "The Price family... if I remember correctly, they are the small lords of Brightya, a border city in eastern Luying? Your family seems to be running iron mines? The newly discovered ore layer in Shadow Forest has a lot of quality problems, and your family is already overwhelmed. You're doing well, still having the mood to bully classmates here."

As soon as these words came out, Tim's face turned pale.

Small lord?

He didn't expect that he had only said his name, and the other party had already said his background so clearly.

With this cold and arrogant tone, there was no need to doubt that the person in front of him was definitely a high-level noble!

Sabina was a professional intelligence agent, and she knew almost all the nobles of Luying like the back of her hand.

Besides, why bother with these teenagers?

She sneered and continued, "Classmate Tim, right? It seems that you are already aware of causing trouble for your family? Hehe, do you know that you have already offended me? Once I say my surname, you and your father will have to come to apologize..."

Before she finished speaking, Tim's forehead was covered with cold sweat, and the fear in his eyes was hard to hide.

He quickly bowed and saluted, and explained anxiously, "No, madam, I think there may be some misunderstanding here. I have absolutely no intention of offending you."

If his father knew that he had offended a high-level noble in the academy, he would probably have his legs broken.

Sabina had no interest in talking any further, and said expressionlessly, "Apologize! Then, go wherever you need to go."

Tim's heart was already filled with fear at this moment, and he lost his tough attitude. He very decisively saluted like a noble, "I'm sorry, I offended the honorable madam."

The blond lackey also apologized in panic.

Sabina shook her head, "Not to me. To Jike."

Hearing this, Tim's faces became very ugly, but they had no choice but to do as they were told, and lowered their noble heads to this commoner whom they looked down on: "I'm... I'm sorry, Jike. We wronged you."

...

Tim and his group came arrogantly, but now they left in a panic.

Leaving Jike standing there in a daze.

He never expected that the noble classmates who made it difficult for him to breathe in his eyes were actually forced to apologize and flee by this lady with just a few words?

But at the same time, Jike also realized that his teacher's friend was actually a noble high-level aristocrat!

Sabina expressed her stance, and suddenly it was like an elder spoke, with an overwhelming aura, and Jike had no room to speak.

Phoebe, who was on the side, suddenly became restrained.

Faced with a high-level aristocrat, even the son of a viscount apologized and ran away, how could she, the young lady of a baron, dare to be too presumptuous?

The atmosphere suddenly became a little strange, and Phoebe also knew that she should leave. She used honorifics and said, "Um... I'm sorry, Honorable Madam and Sir, although it's very rude, but... I should go to rehearsal."

If she stayed any longer, it would seem like she was shamelessly trying to curry favor.

"Yes."

Sabina smiled and asked, "Classmate Phoebe, if you have time, would Jike like to invite you to dinner another day?"

Phoebe glanced at Jike from the corner of her eye, and nodded, looking restrained, "Yes."

Saying that, she quickly bowed slightly and said back, "Then I'll leave first."

Suren and his wife nodded.

Sabina looked at the girl's back and said with emotion, "A very kind girl."

Suren smiled and agreed, "Yeah."

Sabina naturally understood Suren's attitude, revealing a little bit of her identity, also to give Jike some confidence.

Moreover, Suren's current identity and strength were not comparable to any aristocrat.

...

The incident was just a small episode, and the three of them continued to stroll around the academy.

Perhaps because he was facing a high-level noble, Jike seemed much more reserved than before.

At this time, Sabina curiously asked, "Jike, you and that classmate Phoebe seem to be quite familiar?"

Jike replied, "When I first entered school, the academy organized a 'Magical Beast Hunting Practice Class', but there was a small accident. The magical beast went mad and injured people. Other classmates were scared, but I helped her. Later, I met her a few times in the library and chatted a few times, and we became friends. Phoebe is also my only friend in the academy. Later, when I encountered difficulties, she always helped me."

The process of getting to know her was still vivid in his mind. Jike's tone was a bit emotional, but when he got to the end, his eyes dimmed and he said, "But... you can't always trouble people."

"Oh, so you saved her?"

Sabina understood the deep inferiority in his words.

At this time, she said something meaningful, "Jike, you are Mr. Suren's disciple, and you are no less than any nobleman."

Jike also mustered up some courage and nodded seriously, "Yeah!"

Talking about this, Suren felt a little strange.

Logically speaking, even if he, the teacher, wasn't a noble, shouldn't the nickname "Death God" give his disciple some confidence?

His old friends used to tease him about his power in the Molos City-State.

Suren had shown the [Eight-Armed Spider Spear] colony at Blizzard City, so Jike shouldn't be able to guess it.

But his disciple actually had no reaction at all?

Could it be that he still thought that he was the second-order professional at Blizzard City?

Suren felt that was probably the case.

Thinking of something, he asked, "Jike, have you not read the newspaper recently?"

Jike didn't know why his teacher asked such a strange question, but he admitted, "Ah... yes."

"I've been in the laboratory for the past six months, and I rarely pay attention to current affairs, and I rarely have time to read the newspaper."

He thought he had missed something worthy of attention, and asked, "Teacher, did something major happen in the newspaper?"

Hearing this, Suren smiled and shook his head, "Oh. Then it's okay."

Jike didn't communicate with people, and he didn't read the newspaper, so no wonder he didn't know.

Looking at Jike's blank expression, Sabina covered her mouth and smiled softly, "If you had read the newspaper, you would know how powerful your teacher is."

Jike was a little confused, "Ah?"

After savoring it for a moment, he realized that he seemed to have heard some important information.