Help! I don't want to NTR the protagonist!

Chapter 168: 168. Annoying

Lucius quickly thanked Alice for reminding him that he had somewhere to be, and his figure flickered like a ghostly glitch before disappearing in an instant. The group of girls could only look at each other, stunned, as they watched Lucius vanish in a blur.

A short while later, Lucius was rushing through the corridors of Sanctuary, arriving at the door of the building where he was supposed to be helping out today. As he touched the handle and slightly pushed open the door, a deep frown creased his brow.

Inside, he heard a voice dripping with venom. "Nina, what the hell are you even doing right now?" the voice sneered.

It was Frederick, a mage notorious for his harsh demeanor, especially among the circle of young alchemists.

If it wasn't for his strong family backing and high social standing, such a person would have been jumped in a dark alley and beaten to a pulp.

Alas, the world was unfair and bore such an individual into a count's family, allowing him to act this way his whole life relatively unscathed.

"I've never seen such a useless mage in my life. How are you even a member of the Mage Tower? This is a blasphemy among mages!" Frederick's words were sharp and cutting.

"I-I am sorry," Nina mumbled, her voice barely audible as she struggled to respond, clearly shaken.

"Sorry this, sorry that. I don't want to hear another word out of you," Frederick snapped, his frustration mounting. The thought of Nina, whom he considered far beneath him, having somehow secured a spot in the top class due to her so-called "golden talent" made his blood boil.

He couldn't accept the existence of such trash at the Mage Tower, and even more so now that he was at the academy.

"If it wasn't for your golden talent, you would be nothing! You might be the first person in history with a golden-grade talent that is completely useless."

The poor mage didn't even get to finish his sentence, as Lucius acted swiftly. In a flash, Lucius appeared in front of Nina. His hand shot out, gripping Frederick's face like a vice, lifting him into the air effortlessly, leaving him dangling.

Frederick squirmed and struggled, his movements panicked as he tried to free himself.

"Damn peasant! You're truly the lowest stain on Sanctuary's history. Do you really think this is the slums where there are no laws?" Frederick's voice was both panicked and desperate, but Lucius didn't care.

"Of course not," said Lucius, his voice dripping with sarcasm. Hearing this, Frederick's fear only intensified.

"This doesn't change the fact that I want to slap your head off your skull," Lucius continued, his tone cold and menacing.

Frederick, realizing the danger he was in, knew he couldn't leave his fate in the hands of such a ruthless adversary and prepared to act. But as lightning crackled along his body, ready to strike, it was met with an even more vicious surge of blood-red bioelectricity—scalding rage lightning appeared all over Lucius's form.

"M-monster!" one of the poor alchemists gasped, collapsing to the floor as they witnessed Lucius's berserk dragon aura coursing around him.

Lucius's eyes gleamed with a dangerous light as he taunted, "I want to know if your head is harder than the descendants of the Shield Hero family." A vicious smile spread across his face as he tightened his grip on Frederick.

"Don't worry, I won't break your bones—well, not all of them," Lucius said, his voice laced with cruel amusement. Hearing this, Frederick's heart sank in despair.

Just as Lucius was about to act, a cold voice cut through the tension from behind him. "Lucius. What on earth are you doing? Release him."

Lucius, still holding the terrified mage in his grasp, turned toward the source of the voice with a displeased expression. "Diana, how can I help you? I'm kind of busy right now."

Diana's eyes narrowed, her anger barely contained. "Busy?! You come late to your disciplinary work, start a fight, and dare to tell me that you're busy?!"

If Diana's bow had been in her hand, she might have shot that cheeky bastard on the spot. Lucius could feel Diana's fury radiating toward him, but he remained unfazed.

"I'm not starting a fight for no reason. Both times I did it was to defend a fellow student," Lucius said, his voice calm and steady.

"Im starting fights to defend my classmates but who but who are you? The head of the disciplinary committee, the one whos supposed to prevent these incidents and yet you do nothing. Yesterday, it was the sons of the Shield Hero family, and today it's this trash.

The disciplinary committee exists, and yet these guys are still running rampant. I guess you only dare to police the commoner students."

"Lucius, you know it's not that simple—" Diana wanted to continue, but she paused, her eyes drifting to the group of alchemists in the room. It wasn't the time or place to voice these thoughts. With a sigh, she looked back at Lucius.

"Lucius, come outside. I need to speak with you," Diana said in a low voice, trying to maintain her composure.

Lucius, not wanting to completely humiliate Diana, reluctantly agreed and decided to temporarily walk out.

But as his grip on Frederick loosened and he dropped the mage to the ground, he noticed the man's face contort into an ugly, smug smile. Frederick looked at Lucius with an almost mocking gaze, as if believing the commoner had finally learned his place before the noble descendant of a heroic lineage.

Lucius saw Frederick's sneer, and his mouth twitched with irritation. Without a second thought, he sent his hand flying forward.

"Bang!"

The forceful slap rocked Frederick's face, leaving his mouth bloody and twisted in pain.

"Lucius!" Diana scolded, her voice sharp with disapproval. But Lucius ignored her, staring down at the mage on the floor with disgust.

"Don't look at me like that. It's so ugly it triggered a subconscious response," Lucius said coldly.

Not wanting to hear any more of Lucius's nonsense, and eager to regain control of the situation, Diana quickly dragged him outside of the room. Behind them, Nina watched nervously as Lucius was led out of the room.