Chapter 61 - A Peculiar Turn of Events (1/2)

Lydis strolled the halls, watching and observing the behaviors of the students playing in the lounge below her. She had returned to the second floor and was in the middle of trying to find Theda's bully when Bennox rounded the corner at the other end of the hall.

His head hung low, messy brown hair dangled over his eyes. Usually Owen would be next to him but he was nowhere to be found.

Swiveling quickly, Lydis made an attempt to change locations when Bennox suddenly lifted his head up. All at once his face brightened. Lydis wasn't sure why but the Bennox's steps quickened and she could see the excitement on his face. As he rushed over Lydis was reminded of Valfafer for some reason. She turned to leave but Bennox called out to her.

”Lydis!” Waving his arm in the air, Bennox's smile became larger as he saw Lydis wait for him.

In truth, Lydis stopped because Bennox had reminded her of Valfafer. She was curious as to why he would act like that after just seeing her.

”Bennox, we meet again.”

He smiled at her again.

”I get the feeling that this is fate once again,” Bennox placed one hand over his thumping heart. ”Don't you think so?”

Lydis didn't care much about fate since she herself shouldn't even be alive right then. Her body was over fifty years old, yet it retained the appearance of a ten-year-old child, growing just as one would after her awakening in the forest. Though, she couldn't tell him that.

”Fate is nothing. If you survived a battle when everyone else had died, would you call that fate? Good luck? Karma? All those uncertain factors aren't something you should rely on. Only you yourself know your abilities. If they weren't better than your opponent then of course you'd lose.”

Bennox himself didn't care about fate much but it had led him to Lydis at the times when he desperately wanted to see her. Ever since Bennox met Lydis, there was always something about her that kept her in his mind. Though he didn't know what those thoughts meant yet.

”Yet, even amongst all these kids, here we are. Alone with no one else around, just you and me. Even with the entire building full of children, here we are.”

”You shouldn't let coincidences cloud your thinking. Now, I need to be someplace.”

Lydis briskly walked past Bennox, each step echoing like a drum in Bennox's ears. Suddenly, he felt that if he failed to form a connection with Lydis right then and there, his chances of surviving the academy would become extremely thin. Without thinking Bennox grabbed Lydis's wrist.

”You, what are you doing?”

Fumbling for words, Bennox's mouth moved but nothing came out. Just as Lydis was about to fling his hand away Owen came running around the corner.

”Move!”

Right behind him was a hoard of girls and boys, some who looked like nobles while others looked like normal commoners. Sprinting with all his strength, Owen didn't even have time to recognize the two people in front of him.

Lydis stepped to the side while Bennox and Owen collided. Tumbling in a mess of arms and legs, Bennox was pushed to the floor.

*ugh* ”Wh- Bennox?!” Owen finally recognized Bennox and tried to roll away, but the hoard of people already had them surrounded. With a jab of someone's foot, Owen flinched as they used their heel to dig into his leg.

”Speak, how do you know Miss Breavux?”

Having moved out of the way, Lydis was just outside the encirclement. Following the voice she saw that it belonged to a small girl in high heels, murky grey hair dangled just above her shoulders. On her shoulder was a large bow the color of rusty metal. In her mind, Theda's description of the bully seemed to align with the girl standing as the leader of the mob.

”I'll say it one more time so that your incompetent brain can even grasp my words. Why were you talking with Miss Breavux?” Digging her heels deeper, she seemed to find joy in seeing Owen's brow twist in pain. Although short, the girl stood taller than most girls her age due to her shoes. With a large group supporting her the girl didn't think that Owen would dare to do anything to her. Even if he did, her brothers were third years at the academy so she could easily have them beat up Owen.