Supreme Magus novel Chapter 58

"A Coward’s End?!" The classroom exploded with exclamations of shock and outrage. Everyone knew what it was, but no one had actually used it in years, to the point it was considered just a myth.

"How despicable!" The leader of the pack was desperately trying to search for a way out, this was the first time she had her back against a wall.

"You made me say those things, I just fell into your trap, it’s all your fault!"

Lith laughed his a*s off.

"Seriously? That’s your excuse? ’He made me do it’? You did it all by yourself, and everything that happened since I walked in the classroom has been recorded. I doubt anyone would find an image of me begging to get my a*s kicked."

She had realized the idiocy of her plan the moment she said it out loud, so she decided for a subtler approach.

"Look, I get it. We started with the wrong foot, but we can still fix everything."

"But of course! I can report everything to the Headmaster or use the Ballot for summoning help, either way you’ll permanently be out of my hair forever."

The girl turned as pale as a ghost, but refused to back down.

"Don’t you have any shame? Incapable of doing anything on your own, hiding behind a crutch made for cripples and weaklings? It’s no surprise that you commoners can’t get any respect in here, you do not deserve it!"

Lith laughed even harder.

"Playing the pride card? Maybe if I was a five-year-old, it could even work. But you know what? It’s rich hearing a speech about shame and incapacity from you. The pot calling the kettle black.

You are three years older than me, and together with your friends gang up against one. To make things worse, the only reason you did it was to torment someone you consider an inferior being, just because you think that you are untouchable.

You can call me a coward for using a Ballot, but then what’s your excuse? You are nothing but three pathetic little girls, used to hide behind their parents, that cower in fear when they have to face the consequences of their foolish actions.

It’s not being brave or strong, when the only reason you are so cocky is because of your family name. That’s cheating. If you really think what you are doing is right, you should attack me, Ballot or not Ballot, uncaring of the consequences.

After all, the Headmaster is just a puppet, your words. If the White Griffon is really in your hands, what do you have to fear? But if you do not make a move, is because you know that you are wrong, and that you are just a hypocrite!"

She wanted to kill that little bastard, shove all his words down his throat, but she could not, and neither could her friends. They were already at risk of being expelled, the only option remaining was damage control.

The Headmaster had issued a zero-tolerance policy against bullying, and everyone in the Court knew that there was the hand of the Queen pulling his strings.

Her father, Duke Hertia, had been crystal clear with her.

"Do whatever you want, I’ll cover for you as long as you don’t get caught red handed. I don’t give a sh*t about commoners’ or small nobles’ lives, but I worked too hard to lose everything for such a petty reason.

If you are so incompetent to leave proofs, our family will be put under scrutiny, our assets frozen during all the investigation. I’d rather threw you to the wolves, than putting the family name at risk. I can always have another daughter, after all.

It’s only my Dukedom that’s irreplaceable."

Too many mages had defected the Griffon Kingdom after graduating from the academies, trading all the secrets they had learned in exchange for the promise of revenge and riches.

The system had proven to be corrupt decades ago, but now it was crumbling under its own weight, snowballing out of control faster and faster.

Despite the noble families and magicians’ bloodlines had always opposed to the changes, after losing two Magus level mages due to the unfair treatment they had received, both the Queen and the Mage Association were out for blood.

During the past year, Duke Moniar’s son had been proven guilty of causing a brilliant young mage to move to the Gorgon Empire, where he revealed to possess an outstanding talent.

The Duke had defended his son’s action until the verdict, and ended up serving the same sentence. The Queen had stripped him of his title and all of his possessions, passing them to the next of kin.

He took his life the day after, incapable of accepting the loss.

The standstill between Lith and the girls lasted until Professor Trasque entered into the room. Lith walked up to him, the Ballot still in hand.

- "Please, don’t be a jerk. My day has barely started but there still plenty of time for going from the frying pan to the fire. Please, don’t be a jerk!" He wished as strong as he could. -

When Lith regained his cool, he noticed that Professor Trasque was fairly young. He was pretty handsome, around thirty years old, one meter and eighty-two centimetres (6’) high and with the build of an athlete.

His dark brown hair had a military cut, yet he had a stubble, no robe and the sleeves of his shirt were rolled up to the elbows, revealing his muscular arms.

- "Seems more an adventurer than an academic. Either way, judging from his age, he should be one of the professors the Headmaster handpicked. I need some frigging luck!" He thought. -

Lith bowed deeply to him before speaking.

"Professor Trasque, please I need to report to the Headmaster. My name is Lith from Lustria and..."

An odd light shone in Trasque’s eyes at those words.

"The sassy kid! I knew I recognized your face from somewhere. Man, did you really manage to get into trouble even before the first period? This academy is way sh*ttier than I thought. Who’s the jacka*s this time?"

Still dazed from the professor’s mettle, Lith managed to point at the three girls.

"Hmm. I have no idea who they are. It’s my first year too, you know. But I’m sure that with the coward’s... I mean the Ballot, we’ll solve everything in a jiffy. Go get them, tiger. I’ll wait for your return before starting the lesson."

After almost drowning Lith with his words, the chatterbox stamped his left foot, opening a Warp Steps straight to the Headmaster’s office. As soon as Lith crossed the threshold, it closed behind him.

When it ended, Linjos was hiding his face between his hands, full of shame and embarrassment. _{freewebnøvel.coɱ}