115 Bullying & Meeting (1/2)
”Who dares to barge into my workshop!?”
The Duke roared furiously upon his arrival. His roar was not earthshaking to say the least, but to the crowd, it was thunder to their ears.
Who else would call such a titanic fortress as his workshop?
”Oh shit, the Duke is here! Run!” A young noble cried.
The crowd panicked and began to run once they heard the word 'Duke' being uttered. However, the direction they all ran made the young noble want to faint in anger.
”Are you all idiots!? Why are you all running this way?! Quickly scatter! Scatter I say!”
The crowd followed closely behind the young noble like he was the alpha of the pack, but the situation did not last very long. The others ran faster than him and soon overtook him one by one. He regretted not having enough legs to run with.
He immediately noticed a problem. Big problem. He wasn't getting anywhere at all, despite running with all his might.
”You got big guts to be causing trouble at my workshop, kid. What makes you think you'll be able to get away with my airship?” The Duke's voice loomed over him.
His face instantly paled. It turns out he had been grabbed by the Duke like one would with a chicken.
But how could he hope to break free from the Duke's vice-like grip?
He wanted to cry. Of all the people, why was he the one singled out? Was it because he was the loudest, so the Duke took him as the ringleader? So he had unknowingly made himself the scapegoat for the others?
He couldn't see their expression, but they are surely saying, ”Thank you, brother. We will never forget you.”
'F*ck you!'
He mentally cursed. He wasn't dead yet.
”Hmph! A misunderstanding? Do you think I would believe that? Do you think I am a fool?”
Duke Ignis lashed out at the poor kid. Each consecutive question held a heavier tone than the last. The young noble trembled with fear.
”I... I wouldn't dare think that way, your grace. P-Please spare me on behalf of my father.”
”Your father?” Duke Ignis gave the kid a good look but didn't recognize him. Just a nonentity. However, the family crest on his attire was easily recognized.
”The Sharon family? Do you think I need to give face to a baron? Only they need to give face to me.” Duke Ignis narrowed his eyes.
He was planning to beat the kid to scare the rest. The young noble of the Sharon family finally couldn't hold it anymore and wet himself.
”Ugh... forget it. It will just sully my hands and people would think I am bullying the young. Scram!” Ignis kicked the young noble away.
”Thank you for your mercy, your grace!”
The young noble said gratefully and fled like his ass was on fire. He was truly scared.
”Master, it is good that you are here. We've all missed you.” A senior blacksmith said.
Duke Ignis was immediately greet upon entering the building.
”Mm. Anything important in the last couple of days to report?” The duke asked casually.
”Yes, the research team had made some progress in replicating the levitation stone.”
Duke Ignis's eyes lit up when he heard this.
”Good! Tell them to double the efforts. If we can really succeed, their names will go down in the annals of history. I will not be stingy with my rewards.”
”Yes, master.” The senior blacksmith bowed in compliance.
They soon moved onto some casual talk, but it was interrupted by the guard's sudden bark outside.
”Stop! We are closed for business today.”
Duke Ignis's expression darkened immediately when he heard this. He had just scared off a bunch of brats, but it wasn't enough to deter the rest from coming by the looks of it. Perhaps he needs to kill a chicken to scare the monkeys.
”Who's tired of living!?”
He stormed out with a dominating aura, but it deflated the moment he saw who came.
Cough*
”Err... ahem. Your excellency, what brings you here?” Duke Ignis said respectfully.
His people were immediately dumbfounded by his respectful behavior. Was this still the grand and noble duke they knew?
It was natural for the Duke to act like this in the face of someone stronger. The person in front of him was powerful beyond his understanding and was suspected to be a Transcendent. He was already at the peak 9th step, but couldn't gauge the other party's strength.
”Her majesty has sent us over for an important mission. Your airship is of vital importance in completing it.” Kasif said.
He had arrived with a hundred shadow guards, all dressed in black. They emanated the aura of an elite force.
The Duke made a quick comparison between them and his own core forces, before shaking his head. His core force was stronger than his house servants in cultivation, but they were mainly profession workers, not fighters.
”Sure, sure. Let me guide your excellency to the airship.” Duke Ignis said cordially.
In a short moment, the airship took off with the Shadow Guards.
Duke Ignis did not ask about the details of their mission before they left. Kasif could have chosen to disclose it, but he was too lazy to speak so much.
”I guess it's time to contribute to the defensive efforts.” Ignis muttered to himself as he watched his prized airship leave. He doubted anyone would still make trouble at his workshop, now that the airship gone.
”Arm yourselves. We will go over to support the north side defenses.”
The duke summoned his people and ordered. His home was next to the north entrance. He did not want it to be overrun with crawlers.
…
At the Capital's central region, roughly 50,000 commoners concentrated without being overly crowded.
The size of the Upper District was not any less than the Lower District, despite having only one fifth as many residents. In the Upper Districts, the buildiings were spread out and not dense like the Lower Districts. There were plenty of open land for the commoners to temporarily reside.
The crowd sat serenely and without nervousness nor tension. Aria made her way around as she calmed the people with her voice that was like the heavenly hymns.
Lina and her parents were making their own waves among the crowd. Their healing abilities did not leave behind scars and were popular among the younger ladies that suffered wounds.
At the same time, a lot of the viscount-level nobles and above had already been emptied of their homes to go assist the defenses of their respective sides. Only their offspring and some servants were left to look after their homes. However, these noble scions weren't happy to stay at home either.
Inside the home of the marquis-level Solaris family,
”F*ck, this is too boring. Half my days are already wasted on military training. How can my parents expect me to be cooped up at home at a time like this? I need to go out and look for some excitement.” Sean grumbled.
”The master's arrangement was made in consideration of your own safety, young master. Please understand the master's difficulties.” A servant opined.
”For my safety? I am already a 3rd step awakener. I can take care of myself. No one would know I snuck out if you don't say anything.” Sean said unreasonably and left.
The servant sighed. The young master only knows how to make things difficult for him. He had to stay and watch the house. He couldn't leave. He could only prepare himself to be reprimanded when the master returns.
”Sean, you snuck out too?” Another young noble called out.
”Oh, Carson. Your family wanted to keep you home too?” Sean asked his classmate from Crawford University.
Carson was a 3rd step awakener young noble and heir of the Laguna family. His father, Earl Julian was the head of the family and a powerful 7th step water-user.
”Yeah… what are you going to do?” The Carson asked.
”Me? Of course, I'm going to find a good spot to watch the battle.” Sean said stately as a matter of fact. Such a big thing happening, how can he miss it?
”Tch. You're too boring. I'm going to the central district to check out the Saintess. I heard she has a heavenly voice that can enrapture all the boys that listen to it. Supposedly her beauty is equally unmatched.”
'You're the boring person!'
Sean flashed him a disdainful look.
”Well, I suppose it won't hurt to have a quick look.” Sean said nonchalantly like he didn't care, but his interest was also piqued. He was a hypocrite.
He has seen his fair share of beauties. Rachel, Lynne and Teacher Lina from his campus. They were all fine beauties. Unfortunately, none of them could be touched. Teacher Lina seemed to have the weakest background, but she was the most untouchable.
He did not dare to get on the bad side of the mysterious dean.
But the point being… how good can the beauty of a commoner be? He had his doubts, but if it's true, he wouldn't let his classmate have her. He would take the Saintess for himself.
They were nobles. It would be too easy to convince any girls from the commoner class to date them as long as they are vain people, chasing the better life.