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Of Arms and Arcane: Chapter 127
🕑 Added 2024-08-06 15:09:52 +0000 UTCBefore I knew it, the school break was over and I was back at classes, as for all the ruckus caused by my attempted kidnapping, it turns out the king’s shakedown of the criminal world revealed more than he was asking for.
Turns out that quite a number of high-profile people were implicated in some really bad shit, and from what I hear, the Crown Prosecutor is having a field day with all the sentences he is slinging out, the result of said sentences have resulted in imprisonment for the majority of the prosecuted, execution of a fair number of others, and stripping of many titles and lands by the crown, and word on the street is that since this massed scandal kicked off, there had been no less than ten attempts on the Crown Prosecutor and his family’s life. Poor chap, I hope they survive this.
Speaking of survival, I am starting to worry about my own. Ever since school got started again, I have been getting more dirty looks than usual. At first, I thought it was just kids being moody that they have to come back to school, but it persisted for a few days, and some of the more daring ones tried to pull some petty shit trip or attempt ‘pranks’ on me.
When they found that I was stronger and more observant than they could handle, they resorted to talking shit and starting rumors behind my back, basic schoolyard bullshit, so I was not so worried about it, but I still wanted to know what caused this sudden escalation in hostility, and from what I could see, it was coming from a few nobles and the more well-dressed commoners who I think are most likely merchant kids.
When I asked around the schoolmates who did not seem hostile to me, it turns out that it is an “unconfirmed” rumor that I was involved or was the cause of the king’s shakedown, and those who were giving me the stink eye were those who had friends and family who were implicated and charged.
So after hearing the news of my involvement being leaked, even though Instructor Greyham told me a gag order on my involvement had been put in place, I was understandably pissed. Luckily the rumors are limited to me, so Dave and Sam were not mentioned at all.
When I brought up my concerns about this situation, Instructor Greyham was also pissed and said he will launch an investigation into where the info leak came from.
***
Another week passed, and things started to escalate, I had three groups of boys who stalked and cornered me when I was moving about, all of them were year-six noble and merchant boys, and it was rather amusing to see them act tough.
Apparently, me not looking scared and even chuckling at them trying to be intimidating struck a nerve as they started throwing hands.
Wanting to be the bigger man, as it were, I resist the urge to beat them senseless to teach them a lesson and settle things with quick blows to their chins to lay out the tough guy wannabes.
This shook their brain cases and dropped them fast. Those who retained their consciousness were struck again. Hopefully, they would wake up not knowing what happened, I can remember the first time I got knocked out back in my old world, it was when I was sparing with my gym buddies, after regaining consciousness, it took me a while to remember where I was and why I was lying down on the mat. Good times.
I was tempted to arrange their unconscious bodies in compromising positions out in the open, but I thought better of it and just shifted them to an obscure corner.
After dealing with those groups of wannabe thugs, things were relatively peaceful for two weeks. Seeing as I knocked some sense into them, they seemed to be more subdued and actively avoided me when I walked through the halls.
But all good things must come to an end. One day after class was dismissed and all the teachers rushed off for their monthly teachers’ meeting, who else but Oswald fucking Berkeley, his possie, the three groups of boys that I knocked out, and more, boxed me in from both ends of the hallway, publicly confronting me in a hallway where many students were loitering and chatting.
“Luke Ironcrest! Where do you think you are going? We have matters to settle with you after what you caused!” Oswald shouted, catching the attention of the surrounding students.
And to think he was so quiet around me all these months… did he just so happen to grow a pair because he now has so much backup? If so, that is quite pathetic.
I sighed and turned around, “Oh? And what is it that I have caused?” I said, acting oblivious to what he was talking about.
“You know what you did! Because of you, many people lost their lives! My uncle died because of you!” one of the noble boys in the group confronting me shouted. Which makes me wonder, what do they actually know of the situation that they are coming at me with this bullshit? But at this point, I do not really care for their half-baked knowledge and petty bullshit.
“Oh my!” I exclaimed with as much sarcasm I could manifest, “I don’t remember killing a nobleman. But I do remember a whole slew of executions for high crimes and treason recently, was he by chance one of them?”
At my question, he and many others grit their teeth. At their momentary silence that pretty much answered my question for the audience listening in, I looked back at Oswald and asked, “Well, now that I know these idiots are confronting me because their friends and family were found guilty by the crown, and for some reason blaming me for their undoing, what’s your excuse, Oswald? Any family members got executed recently?”
“How dare you! A lowly Baron’s son, insinuating such things about a Marquess’ house in good standing!” Oswald shouted in outrage.
I just shrug, as I was thinking of a way to end this farce now and for the foreseeable future, but seeing as most of these boys are from nobility, the only way I can think to do so is to hurt their pride, and since they gathered the audience and looked ready to commit violence, I might as well make use the situation and break their pride with the same violence they seem to want to inflict on me.
“Hey, if the people you are confronting me with is the sort of company you keep, you can hardly blame anybody for insinuating a thing or two. But let's be real here, the real question is, what are you going to do about it? Are you feeling like a big brave boy now that you got more people with you? So, unless you boys are here to invite me to a picnic, make a move, or fuck off.”
You gathered all these people to berate, cower, and possibly attack me, so how will you react now that I did not cower and called you out? Either gang up on me and look like a bitch for bringing so many people to fight one person, or back off and look like a bigger bitch, your choice, Oswald and friends.
