Chapter 34: Remove him
"That was a good training session," Joseph said with a grin as he and Kevin started walking back to the dormitory.
Sweat and some cuts adorned their bodies but neither of them seemed concerned. For a warrior, it was nothing unusual.
They had trained for hours and could have gone longer, but with the assessment scheduled for tomorrow, they decided it was better to call it a day and rest.
While Joseph was more into blunt weapons, he made a great sparring partner.
His techniques are refined and he has a great battle sense.
He makes proactive decisions and never lets himself become predictable.
As a warrior, Joseph might be one of the best this school has produced in these few years.
Kevin nodded. "Yeah, it was fun. After the injury, this was the first time I felt like I actually fought."
That reminded Joseph. "Hey... did you talk with William?"
Kevin’s expression darkened. "No... why?"
The shaved-headed teenager shrugged. "I mean... despite how much I dislike him, he’s on the team. Shouldn’t we at least have a meeting to plan formations for tomorrow?"
Logically, Kevin knew he was right. But the thought of sitting in the same room as William twisted his stomach with disgust. His hatred for the blond-haired boy had only grown since his recovery.
Every time Kevin saw him, he felt a surge of violent anger—he wanted to stab his eye or slit his throat. Sometimes he even questioned his own sanity: why did he hate someone so unworthy? But the question always disappeared as quickly as it came. The very sight of that man sent a jolt through his body, making his skin crawl.
Kevin couldn’t understand when he started to feel like this for that guy...maybe ever since he and Emma started to grow closer.
"Kev?" Joseph asked, raising an eyebrow.
Kevin let out a heavy sigh. "Well, we don’t even know what kind of assessment tomorrow will be. They might just throw us into the arena and make us fight each other. So there’s no point in strategizing."
Joseph nodded. "True... this assessment itself is unpredictable."
Kevin hummed. "Exactly. So let’s forget about talking and focus on what we do best."
....
"What?" The grey-haired Headmaster exclaimed, clearly surprised. "Why so suddenly?"
The vice-headmaster shrugged. "No idea, sir. I only received notice that tomorrow, a few members of the Round Hall will be coming to watch the assessment."
The Headmaster frowned at the sudden attention the students were getting. Members of the Round Hall rarely visited academies like this—only the top-ranking ones or those hosting contests with high stakes. This assessment, however, was simply meant to help students overcome hesitation when fighting alongside unfamiliar teammates and to prepare them for the real battles in Grimland.
"Sir, I believe they might have taken an interest in one of the First Team students," the vice-headmaster added.
"You mean Kevin?" the Headmaster asked, raising an eyebrow.
The vice-headmaster heaved a sigh. "Kevin is remarkable, yes, but during the last inter-academy contest, it was Emma who truly shone—not just against the other students, but also against the adversary who suddenly ambushed the contest. If not for her, many students might have lost their lives that day. So yes, as I said, the Hall members might be coming here to observe her... or perhaps even to recruit her."
"She’s on the same team as Kevin and Natalie, right?" the Headmaster asked.
The vice-headmaster nodded. "Yes, sir. We made sure the team formation placed them together. But, sir..." His eyes sharpened. "William Delimore is in that team as well."
The Headmaster frowned deeper. "With his sudden surge in strength, he could cause complications."
He had been investigating the cause behind William’s rapid growth, but so far had found no reason to accuse him of corruption.
Directly confronting him would risk the wrath of Count Delimore. Regardless, it was undeniable that William had grown remarkably in a short time, and with Round Hall members observing tomorrow, there was a high chance the boy would try to steal all the attention.
The vice-headmaster adjusted his glasses. "Sir... I can remove him from the team if you wish."
The Headmaster’s eyes lit up. "Hmm? Explain."
....
William lay inside his tent, staring up at the starry sky through a small window he had built into the roof. He could close it if it rained.
Everything was in order—the traps were set, and the campfire had enough wood to burn until morning.
*Haah... I should visit home sometime.* It had been a while since he last went back. Around the time the third year was about to begin, to be precise.
He usually communicated with his father through letters. It wasn’t that William didn’t want to visit on weekends—it was more that he wasn’t really welcomed. His father might love him, but his new wife and her children saw William as nothing more than an eyesore.
That put Count Delimore in a difficult position. William didn’t want his father scolding the children or asking his wife to treat him better, so over time, he had reduced his visits.
He never blamed his father for remarrying, but William had no interest in forming any connection with that woman or her snobbish children.
What concerned him now, however, was a recent letter from his father. It stated that a new fiancée had already been chosen, and the next time William returned, he would need to meet her.
’What would Emma think if she hears about this...’ William smiled at the thought, then paused in surprise. Why was he even concerned about her opinion on this matter?
It would be a lie to say she didn’t affect him.
Not only had she freed him, even knowing he was faking it all, but she had also stayed by his side despite how many tried to stop her.
She didn’t care about what the world thought.
William had always believed himself to be like that, yet even he sometimes faltered, swayed by whispers and opinions.
But she—she was different. She didn’t care what others said or suggested. She acted on what she believed was right.
Raising his hand toward the sky, he muttered, "Let’s see if being on the same team can actually do some good."
....
[Next morning]
"What?" William asked with a frown.
Other students were gathered around, their eyes on him.
However, William’s focus was on the woman before him.
Russel nodded, "That’s right. You are being removed from the team and Caleb is replacing you."
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A/N:- Thanks for reading. Add the book to your collection and donate some PS and GT.