"Galird..."
Loryarc looked at the blue-haired man before him, his brow knit a furrow. Loryarc searched through the memories of his predecessor to identify this man, and he soon found it easily.
Galird was the one who often beat his predecessor. Galird's bullying sessions started even before Loryarc betrothed Glamoria, so his motive was not about envy like any other Noble child.
The reason was unknown, at least his predecessor didn't know his reason. But his predecessor had memories that the two used to get along quite well back then. Just what's happened between them that can reduce their relationship so drastically?
"You are always crowded by commoner girls, huh?"
Galird snorted with a cold smirk, glancing at the crowd of girls at the side of the Training ground.
True to what he's said, the girls crowding there were all commoners. The ones that Loryarc's predecessor has helped, to be precise.
"What's wrong with commoner girls?" Loryarc replied, smiling at the girls to ease their anxiety after Galird came.
"Their lips as soft and lovely as the noble's." He stated with a smile.
"Hah? Lips? What are you suddenly talking about?" Galird, strangely looking at him for his unusual remark, asked.
Galird narrowed his eyes.
"Anyway, it seems to be... That you hadn't planned to distance yourself from them even now, I see."
Galird, clapping his knuckles, takes more steps closer to Loryarc.
"You need more punches, I see it, too."
The two guys behind him also took their stances.
"And the beating session is beginning!"
"Man... I still haven't eaten enough burgers yet and already ordered to beating people's ass..."
Loryarc looked at the three.
He definitely couldn't win against them head-on.
He hadn't even been properly trained yet, and if he ignored the memories of his predecessor, he had just wielded a sword for two days, including today.
Loryarc tightened his grip on the sword in his hands, bringing it to his front.
His sword was just a wooden sword for training purposes, but having a weapon is better than just bare punches and kicks while facing stronger opponents.
But rather than facing the three, he faced Marie's back instead.
"Please stop, Mister Gonhavton! Hurting fellow students was prohibited by the rules of the Royal Academy! Even if your father is His Majesty's uncle himself, you wouldn't be spared from punishment!"
Loryarc looked at her trembling back and widened his eyes.
"Marie..."
Marie is always with her Master.
She was the one who covered the disabled Loryarc under Galird's bullying actions back then. And she also was the one, even now.
She wouldn't budge. Because of what Lord Count and Countess did for her in the past. Because of her... For her Master's.
"Punishment? Doesn't matter. I'll face it head-on without running, after beating that fool's face!"
But Galird is no coward. He wouldn't stop just because of some punishments being laid against him.
Marie is aware of that fact, but she still couldn't understand. Just... Why?
"... Why, Mister Gonhavton? Just what is the reason you hated my Master so much!?"
Her eyes were wet; she was aware of it.
Her knees and body trembled. Because she faced a Noble, someone so high above her. Normally, she would be afraid of him.
But she glared at that Noble. The one who always hurts her Master for seemingly no reason!
For her question, Galird's answer was.
"Silence, you commoner. The next you open those lips, that would be your last."
A cold, commanding treat.
Very high.
He was very high above her.
Because he was the Noble, while she was merely a Commoner.
"Hey, isn't it bad? Lord Loryarc is in danger!"
"Should we call the Professors?"
The girls watching on the side ran away one after another to call the Professors after realizing that the situation was getting worse quickly.
"Tch. We don't have much time left, My Lord." Said one of the guys standing behind Galird.
"I know."
Galird knew it.
But so what?
It's irrelevant for him at the moment.
Galird turned his attention back toward Loryarc, only to see Loryarc grab his little Maid's shoulder and pull her back.
"E-eh, Master?" The maid was flustered by her Master's sudden action, looking at his face with widened eyes.
Loryarc smiled at her.
"It's enough, Marie. For times like this, it was a man's chance to act cool. A cute woman like you shouldn't be in danger and wait for a kiss instead." He said, with his hands patting her head gently. He wants to calm this maid of his.
Marie's face flushed when she could feel her Master's palm pat on her head.
"K-kiss!?" She raised her voice and focused on the particular keyword her master said.
"Yeah. Or you don't want to?" Loryarc asked her; he stopped patting her and poked her nose.
"Uhhh..."
Overwhelmed by the teases, Marie couldn't say any words. She blushed while her head steamed, her brain overloaded.
Galird frowned at the sight of Loryarc mischievously teasing his Maid. Somehow, he felt different? He thought but didn't pay much attention to that thought and raised his punches towards Loryarc instead.
"Ready yourself, Loryarc!"
Loryarc raised his sword as well in response to Galird's shout.
"Yeah!" He nodded and turned his face back to the serious one.
He took a deep breath.
He raised his wooden sword and then brought it fort toward Galird.
And.
—30 minutes later.
"M-master..." Marie covered her mouth with hands, looking at her Master with her teary eyes.
Her Master was left on the ground in red and blue, with his wooden sword shattered in two.
"Hahaha... My bully was so strong, huh? Damn..." Loryarc turned toward Marie and laughed.
"Master!"
Before his vision was drowned by the darkness, Loryarc saw Marie's teary face and thought. We'll see, Marie. Next time, I'll win.
For him, Daniel, this much beating was just a daily life.
—You little brat! What's with your looking!? You are displeased with anything!? Huh!? HUH!? You are nothing but trash, couldn't you understand it yourself!?
Fuck.
Because of Galird, he remembered that old angry man.
What a shit dream.
That's why.
Since he already experienced similar situations before, he really wanted to kick their asses to the ash.
Be positive.
Be patient.
I have the System, after all.
***
The next Loryarc opened his eyes again, he was covered with bandages inside an unknown white-colored, sterile room.
According to his predecessor, it should be the Treatment room.
Maybe Marie or someone brought him here.
"Ugh..."
Loryarc sat, enduring the tingling pain he felt in his body.
After he sat up, he finally noticed the figure of the sleeping braided chestnut-haired woman in her 20s or 22, in a black and white maid's attire.
Loryarc looked at the room.
There's no one inside except them for the time being.
He then looked out the window.
The sky was colored red, a stark sign that the sun was about to disappear to the west.
It's already afternoon. They should return to the palace quickly if they don't want to face Glamoria with her... Smile.
So he patted Marie's head.
"Marie, wake up. Let's go home."
"... Uh... Master?"
He still had plenty of time left.
Loryarc decided to wait.
For the right time.
For the better of him next time.
And... for Win.