Races: Online (VR Smartphone App)

Chapter 117: New Faces and Paths

Maybe he shouldn't have gotten upset at Han, the guy was just trying to mean well. He was just being an idiot thinking they'd be happy with him returning his mother's locket. Timothy was aware of that and yet he still got mad at them. Did he really think that they would just graciously accept the necklace after all that happened? Even if he had accepted his invitation to go here, it didn't mean that he would be at their beck and call.

He had already failed before—

"Hmm, I didn't expect that someone like you would be cutting classes on their second day here." A voice chuckled.

Timothy looked up and saw nothing but the empty hallways once again. Was he imagining it? Some kind of inner voice that was berating him for his own actions? He glanced left and right, frowning unsurely. But he had heard—

"Right in front of you." The air dispelled around him as someone fizzled into existence.

It made Timothy recoil back as he finally saw the person in front of him. It was a [ Mage ]. Who else could it have been after all? And on top of that, it was a shady looking guy. "What do you want?" He frowned and balled his fists. Regardless of whoever they were, he had a reason to be wary, they knew more magic than him. He couldn't risk himself from upsetting them and yet that didn't do anything with quelling his own annoyance.

"What do I want? Nothing. I just couldn't help myself but notice the little drama you and your friend did." He chuckled and clutched his chest. "Ah, it was a little heartbreaking to watch two friends have an argument."

His eyes narrowed at them, an eavesdropper with nothing better to do. Just great. Another lout for him to deal with. "Well then, I'm happy that our little drama was enough to entertain you. Now if you can excuse me, I have better things to do." Timothy walked past the guy and walked into the next corridor.

He needed to get a nap—it contributed to his irritable behavior.

"Oh better things? Like playing at the cauldron like a little Witch? Adorable you are," The man continued to leer at him from behind him, they were following him. Did they really have nothing else to do? "Right off the bat, that seems like what you'd be pursuing right? Cut some sage grass, add a bit of mana potion and there you have it."

Why was he having to deal with someone like them? Timothy had already been… he was still angry, but there was no use to it. "So what if I do? What if I wanted to pursue that? It's better than being someone who's got nothing better to do than skip class—or maybe you've been kicked out of their classroom as well?" He glanced back at them and threw them a smirk.

He watched their expression twitch for a moment. 

"Why you little—" They took a deep breath, they were shaking slightly in anger.

And it satisfied him that he was the one who wasn't getting upset and acting like an idiot. Maybe that was the reason why Han always kept acting like a sunny bastard, a chance for them to always be the better person between them. He inwardly sighed and scratched his face, he really needed a quick nap or a snack, that girl had greedily ate up his breakfast without even asking him if he had eaten.

"I was just about to present you an opportunity for the two of you to catch up to your classmates."

Timothy narrowed his eyes, "What?"

He watched the guy's expression smooth over, it was as if their entire anger had evaporated—no, even their entire face had warped over. Their true face was shown? No. He couldn't trust appearances. What kind of Mage did they encounter to have nothing else to do but pick on him?

"Young man, why don't I lead you to one of the hidden libraries?"

Library?

No. The guy or whoever they actually were was taking advantage of his situation. They knew that he was having trouble with Han on this and he hated that. Hated that he had to ask for both of their sake. Who cared if they could manipulate mana if they didn't even have any knowledge on how to perform spells!

"...and how will I even know that you're trustworthy?" He pursed his lips together, "I know people who play tricks on others for fun and you seem just like the type of person who'd do such a thing like that." 

But that meant his assumptions were right. Of course there would be libraries in an academy but they were keeping it hidden? For what reason? Was this some kind of challenge? Probably not, if this was an open challenge then someone like Penelope would have known this and told him right from the start.

The woman—they were a woman now simply shrugged at him, "Well, once you get to the library, I'd like you and your friend to retrieve something in my stead."

.. .

"Han!" A voice called out to him. "What are you doing outside the courtyard?" And that voice belonged to no other one than Sir Leon de Harrington himself. The young man flashed him a smile, "Why don't we go now before our Professor arrives?" Right behind him were his companions.

That was how Han found himself at the courtyard once more with both Sir Leon de Harrington, Lady Angelika and Donovan and the other people who fawned over them. Their class was now gathered in a square and he was sitting in front with them while the ones on the second row were trying to talk with them.

"Ah, our Professor is late again isn't he?" One of them sighed aloud, trying to stir up a conversation.

Others were much more upfront with their remarks.

"Sir Harrington, your performance yesterday was amazing in our defense against the Mages class, you've obliterated your enemy." A young man grinned.

Sir Leon de Harrington looked a little embarrassed but chuckled, "Ah, that wasn't exactly the case, I actually don't like using my skills as a Noble unless it's completely necessary."

"Let's not forget about Lady Primrose, the results were a little unfair—you were clearly the better one. And that boy didn't even actually use magic right?"

A young woman holding some sort of stick looking like bamboo tried to smile, "Donovan you should have been a little more careful—"

"What?" The young man snarled at the girl.

She leaned away from them and waved her hands, "Ah, nevermind!"

It was a little disturbing how they did that, but then again, wealth and power would always give one an influence over others.

… and he was here and acting as a friend as well. He was kind of a hypocrite wasn't he? And yet Timothy wouldn't do such a thing like this. Well, he wouldn't bow down to anybody else—that seemed to be his personality. Even if that meant seeing him as some kind of villain. Why was he getting caught up in something like this again?

He was here to have fun… and be a hero?

But so far, it wasn't exactly turning out that way. Han Jing inwardly sighed once more, he was here to experience another life and gain more benefits. He shouldn't be affected by the events around him and yet he was. What was with this awful mood of his again. He should focus on something else.

Sir Leon spoke up with a raised brow, "What's with that expression on your face, Han?"

"You're souring up the atmosphere." Donovan retorted. The young man was leaning down on his axe with a bored expression. It was actually a little too much to say that people were fawning over Donovan, instead he was acting as some kind of deterrent to the other people who tried joining their circle.

"Well my apologies for affecting you then, Donovan." Han craned his neck and looked around the courtyard to double check if there had been a repeat of the incidents of their [ Professor ] sitting around them to see if they were actually paying attention to their surroundings. 

Not this time but their Professor Uriel was once again late for class.

Lady Angelika sighed and scratched her cheek, "Is it because of my sister? Did she bother you or something during your class together? I may have to apologize on her behalf." She sighed once more, "I'll do my best to clear up the rumors between you, Timothy and Ellynn. She has a tendency to overreact to things."

The rumors?

It made him blink and stifle a chuckle, "What? Your sister, Lady Primrose? No, she didn't do anything wrong." It was almost a little silly that the young woman assumed his distress was caused by her sister—she must have truly known Penelope's personality and tendencies.

He didn't expect that.

And yet it truly was Penelope's actions that affected his fame in Kraelonia Academy didn't it? He instead inclined his head, "Thank you for your concern, I do not deserve such kindness." Or rather he really wasn't sure why she would do such a thing for him. How were the two sisters' attitudes quite different from one another?

"Ah, of course even Han would answer Lady Angelika instead of me. I'm a bit hurt." Sir Leon de Harrington chimed in with a chuckle.

Lady Angelika rolled her eyes, "Even here you try to compete with me."josei

"Huh, if I do remember correctly—it is you who has always taken much joy in challenging me." 

Somehow the two of them really had an amiable relationship didn't they? It made him a little envious…