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The next day.
"What? Why can't I go see my mother?"
"Stay in my castle until things are settled. It won't take long."
"Is there a reason I have to?"
"It's to protect you, Bonita. Loan shark Douglas has unleashed his men to capture you again."
Bonita looked Harrington Marquis straight in the eye.
'Lies.'
But she hadn't secured any evidence yet.
If she rashly confronted him, she would only arouse suspicion.
"Yes... I understand."
After finishing her interview with Harrington Marquis, Bonita returned to Davian's room.
"What did he say?"
"It's as you predicted, Davian. He's planning to keep us locked up here until things go his way."
"Of course. He's already told your mother that he has you as a hostage."
"That son of a bitch..."
Bonita clenched her fists and glared at the building where the Marquis was.
"So, what do we do now?"
"We have to sneak out. And, we're not enough on our own. We need the kids' help."
"Is the Marquis that strong?"
"We need to secure evidence, and there's a lot to do."
This was a completely different situation than fighting enemies like spies of the Marino Empire or demons.
The opponent was none other than the Marquis who guarded the border of the Alcancia Kingdom.
If they recklessly murdered him, they could be executed without graduating from the academy.
This was a moment that required a more meticulous plan.
Davian took out a scroll from his inner pocket.
"That...! Is that a scroll to return to the academy?"
Davian nodded and put his arm around Bonita's shoulders.
"It's a one-person scroll. I have to hold you tight."
"Uh...?"
Bonita hesitated, startled, and wrapped her arms around Davian's torso.
"Like... this?"
Davian looked down at Bonita.
She was hanging her head and trembling.
'Why is she like this again?'
He should have brought another scroll if he knew this would happen.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes. It's definitely a forged promissory note. And Harrington Marquis is definitely involved."
Leo Martiang, Head of the Swordsmanship Department, sighed deeply.
"Even if we can punish Douglas for the promissory note, punishing Frontier Count Harrington Marquis is not easy. We don't have clear evidence."
"I will bring you the evidence."
Leo Martiang looked into Davian's eyes.
"Are you confident?"
"Yes."
"This is already beyond the scope of the performance evaluation. If things go wrong, even you, Davian, may not be fully protected by the academy."
"I am confident."
"How about just arresting Douglas? That would resolve the Fortis family's debt and complete the performance evaluation."
Davian shook his head.
"It's something that must be done."
"Because of Bonita Fortis?"
"Yes."
"I understand your concern for your friend, but the risk is too great."
"I still have to do it."
Leo Martiang and Davian locked eyes intently.
"Alright. But I can't excuse the absences of your other friends. You and Bonita are the only ones participating in this performance evaluation. But maybe your friends will still step up to help you."
"Bonita went to persuade them."
"Are you sure your friends will help you even if it means getting demerits for absence?"
"Yes, I am sure."
Bang!
The main gate of loan shark Douglas's base burst open.
"Intruders!"
The watchtower where the lookout was, belatedly announcing the presence of intruders...
Boom!
Exploded as it was.
Emergency trumpets blared.
People inside the base moved busily.
Those who could fight grabbed their weapons and rushed out to the main gate.
Soldiers in heavy armor also rushed out of the guardhouse near the main gate.
Guardhouse Chief Mais quickly checked the main gate.
Seven academy students, all wearing the same uniform, stepped through the black smoke and entered the base.
At the front was a black-haired boy.
Next to him was a blonde-haired girl with doll-like looks.
On the other side was a black-haired girl.
Behind them.
A man with enormous muscles.
A girl with a sword who was chattering on.
A girl with a small stature and striking silver bobbed hair.
A sickly-looking boy with a long pipe.
'Are those kids all of them? What is that last guy holding? Is it an instrument?'
When the blonde-haired girl stretched out both arms forward.
A huge pillar of fire engulfed the guardhouse.
"They're skilled! Everyone, battle formation!"
In Guardhouse Chief Mais's eyes, who was shouting urgently, the boy at the back was raising his pipe and aiming at him.
While he was thinking whether he was going to shoot some poison needle or something.
Bang!
A flame appeared from the mouth of the pipe.
Poohk.
A tremendous pain engulfed his entire body.
Pain he had never felt before in his life.
The squad leader, looking down, saw a hole in his stomach.
"Wha... what is..."
Thud.
Bellum bumped Liber's shoulder.
"Your shooting skills have improved a lot, Liber."
"I practiced a bit."
Latia turned her head.
"It's not just his shooting skills. Liber, did you know that guy you shot was the commander?"
"Of course."
"You're getting good, huh?"
The seven friends who skipped class ruthlessly trampled the loan shark's base and headed straight for Douglas's office.
Bang!
Davian kicked open the door to Douglas's office.
"Loan shark Douglas. You are under arrest for forging promissory notes and illegally occupying the Count's estate granted by the royal family."
"What are you saying, you little punk? Arrest? Who are you to arrest or not arrest? Are you the captain of the Royal Guard or something?"
"Actually, I don't have the authority to arrest you."
Douglas smirked.
"Crazy bastard."
"But I do have the power to take you. The trial is later."
"Guards! What are the soldiers doing! Allowing this kind of scoundrel to push all the way up here."
"Curious?"
Kwaang!
Davian's fist struck the office wall.
Crack, crack.
One punch and one side of the office wall collapsed.
Douglas was able to see the situation outside beyond the collapsed wall.
The soldiers were surrounding the academy students, who were standing in a circle, in a battle formation.
But.
Pillars of fire were spewing out.
A giant whirlwind was being created.
The soldiers couldn't even approach the students rashly.
"Wh, what is that...?"
"I brought some friends. I need some time to talk with you alone."
Feeling the seriousness of the situation, Douglas desperately ran to the closet.
Opening the closet revealed a large scythe-shaped weapon hanging there.
"Arrogant bastard! Did you think I only got to this position by pushing a pen?"
Douglas had been rolling around in the back alleys since he was young.
He was confident in fighting.
"Haaah!"
With a deliberately loud shout.
He swung the scythe, aiming at the guy's philtrum.
He smashed a wall with one punch, so he's not a normal guy.
But this giant scythe is also a weapon that Douglas personally made with great care.
Even if the opponent had a sword, it would not be easy to block it.
Even if you block the long curved blade with a sword, if you push the scythe in, the curved end will touch the opponent's body.
In addition, that guy isn't even holding any weapons.
'My victory! Brat.'
As Douglas swung the scythe, looking only at Davian's philtrum.
A thick ice wall was created.
Kwazik!
The giant scythe made a small scratch on the ice wall and stopped there.
Shashak.
At that moment, Davian moved quickly beyond the ice wall.
Puheok!
"Keuheok!"
Douglas, hit in the abdomen by Davian's fist, grabbed his stomach and collapsed to the floor.
"Get up. There's a lot left to talk about."
At the same time.
Harrington Marquis Castle.
"Speak honestly."
"I don't know what you're talking about, Bonita."
Bonita, who had requested a private meeting with the Marquis, was talking to Harrington alone.
"You killed my father to take my mother and now you're trying to take the Count's estate by using loan shark Douglas, right? And in the end, you even took me hostage to threaten my mother?"
Harrington Marquis's brow furrowed.
At that moment.
Tears began to fall from Bonita's eyes.
"Tell me! Tell me! You bastard!"
Tears.
Can never reveal strength.
In the state of revealing her weakest side.
Sreung.
She even drew her sword.
Bonita's sword aimed at Harrington Marquis's Adam's apple.
"Why...! Why! Did you do that to our mother!"
Harrington Marquis smiled.
It was a smile that looked mean and even bitter to Bonita.
"I thought you were a strong child. Now that I see, you're just a spoiled brat."
"Shut up! You vile bastard!"
"Ahem. Be careful when you're being impudent, and you should be careful with that mouth and put away that sword."
Boom.
Bonita's sword cut through the air.
Harrington Marquis lightly stepped back and avoided Bonita's sword.
It was a sword that had become dull as it was consumed by anger.
"You're an arrogant bitch. But, seeing those sad eyes shedding tears reminds me of your mother's old self... Yes... She ran at me with those eyes back then too."
"You... you bastard!"
Boom, boom.
The sword, consumed by anger, meaninglessly stirred the air without sharpness.
Eventually.
Chang!
The dagger Harrington Marquis pulled out completely blocked Bonita's sword path.
Harrington's left hand, which had blocked Bonita's sword with his right hand, stroked Bonita's cheek.
"Kyaak!"
Bonita, startled, stepped back.
"In my entire life, I thought the only thing I wanted but couldn't have was your mother... Now there's one more."
"What nonsense!"
"It's you. Bonita Fortis. You look just like your mother, but you're a young and wild horse."
"You bastard! I'll kill you! Tell me the truth! You killed my father!"
"What if I did?"
Bonita's shoulders trembled.
"So it was you... You were the one who did that to our father."
"Blame your mother. It's not like I told her to divorce Carter Count. I just wanted her to answer my call once every month or two. Your mother made it this way."
"You're the one who conspired with that dirty loan shark to get my tuition!"
"It's cute when I give you a break once or twice. If you don't say 'Marquis' at the end of your sentences one more time, that pretty face of yours will be scarred. I don't want that, Bonita Fortis."
Ttanggeurang.
Eventually, Bonita completely dropped her sword and covered her face with both hands, stepping back.
"Why... Why did you have to do this... Marquis?"
Harrington Marquis laughed loudly, leaning back.
"Yes, that's the expression. I like it very much. It's no fun if you're just too easygoing. Try to maintain that level of emotion in the future."
"You didn't have to take our estate away... Marquis."
"Of course. Who's taking whose? I'm not taking it. Didn't I tell you it's all because your mother didn't listen to me? Now that your mother has allowed me, I don't have any plans to take your estate anymore. And now you're here, Bonita."
At that moment.
Bonita's expression cooled down.
"So, you were planning to touch the Count's estate, right? By putting that loan shark Douglas at the front."
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