Elara, standing at the center, met his gaze. Her expression faltered, unsure, as if she was trying to decide how to react. Leo's crimson eyes met hers briefly before drifting away.
Haa, déjà vu, he thought dryly, pulling his book into view. Without a word, the group parted, creating a narrow path for him to pass.
Leo smiled faintly, and continued forward without pause. The tension in the air was almost palpable as he walked past. But before he could fully distance himself, a voice called out.
"Leonhardt, wait."
He stopped mid-step, the voice halting him more out of familiarity than anything else. He didn't turn around. He didn't need to. He already knew who it belonged to.
Astrid, standing nearby, looked at Elara with confusion. "What are you doing?" she asked, her tone a mix of surprise and curiosity.
Elara ignored her, taking a small step forward. "I just wanted to congratulate you on your fight yesterday," she said, her voice clear but carrying a hint of hesitancy. "You did… well."
Leo remained still for a moment, his back still turned to her. He raised a hand in acknowledgment, his tone polite but distant. "Thanks," he said simply, before continuing on his way.
As he walked, his thoughts churned. Of course, you'd say that, he mused, his expression unreadable. Because you… you're the most important one in the list of making Leonhardt's miserable.
____
Leo walked into the classroom, and the noise stopped fast, like someone hit mute. Everyone went quiet, eyes dropping—some scared, some amazed. Leonhardt Caulem, the weakest kid in Bronze Class a few weeks ago, was now their leader, a name buzzing with power.
His red eyes scanned the room, calm and steady, landing on Mori, the big bully, slouched low, wrapped in bandages, too chicken to look up.
Leo moved to his desk, boots tapping soft, and sat down easy, leaning back.
Then a cheerful voice broke in. "Leonhardt! I thought you'd still be hurt!" A girl with purple hair bounced over, her big pink eyes full of worry, cheeks puffed out—Rin, cute and bubbly. "You okay to be here?"
The whole class stared—how'd she talk to him so easy, no fear at all?
"Got better quickly. I'm good."
The class exchanged glances, their confusion palpable. Normally, a leader like Garrik would revel in his new power—bullying the weak, flaunting his dominance.
But Leo had no interest in proving his strength against those weaker than him. To him, bullying was a waste of time—a hollow display of power that only masked cowardice. He wanted his work done, his goals achieved. Strength was for facing the strong, not tormenting the helpless.
Rin tilted her head, pink eyes shining, her little nose scrunching as she smiled. "Did you really say no to Silver Class promotion?" Everyone leaned in, waiting.
"Yeah," Leo said, short and simple. "Silver's not for me."
Rin let out a tiny happy squeak, her face lighting up, hands clapping once before she stopped herself.
Leo looked at her, puzzled. "Why's that make you happy?"
She waved her hands, cheeks red, stumbling over words. "N-No! It's nothing! Just—um—no reason!" she said, too cute to hide it.
He grinned a little, confused, but let it go.
Then others came closer.
One shy kid said, "You were awesome yesterday—beat Garrik easy."
Another grinned, "That thunder punch? So cool—kept hitting him even after he fell!"
"He messed with us bad—you made him pay."
"You're strong but nice—makes me glad you're our leadernow."
The class crowded him, fear gone, now all curious and excited.
"That last hit—boom, like lightning!"
"Garrik deserved it—total payback!"
"You're gonna be the best Bronze leader ever!" Leo sat there, swarmed, red eyes flicking around, not sure what to say.
Rin jumped in, voice loud and bubbly. "Hey guys! Professor's coming—get back!" She flapped her arms, pouty but bossy. The class groaned but moved to their seats, still chatting.
She turned to Leo, gave a big, dimply grin, then skipped to her spot. She started this, he thought, shaking his head.
____
The class was over, and Leo walked into the library, stopping by a big bookshelf. He sighed, rubbing his head with a tired look. Am I really this easy to talk to now? he thought, annoyed. These kids keep coming up to me like I'm their friend. In my old life, nobody got near me.
[Come on, Reo!]
[You're not that tough hitman anymore.]
[You've got kid memories mixed in now—it makes you nicer, softer. That's why they like you; you don't scare them off like before!]
Leo groaned softly, muttering, "Yeah, yeah, but this much attention isn't my style." He shook his head, trying to brush off the thought. Just then, a gentle voice interrupted his musing.
"Hello, how can I help you?"
He turned, his crimson eyes landing on a girl with short blonde hair. Her blue eyes sparkled with familiarity as she smiled warmly at him. Recognition sparked in his mind—it was the same girl who had helped him the last time he was here. "Oh," she said, her smile widening. "We met again."
Leo blinked once, before replying, "Oh, hi." His voice was neutral, but her unexpected presence caught him slightly off guard.
She clasped her hands together, her face lighting up. "I saw your fight, by the way. You were amazing!" she said with unrestrained enthusiasm.
"Thanks," Leo replied, his tone even, though he felt a bit awkward under the compliment.
"You're really good at planning," she continued, tilting her head as she recalled their last encounter. "I should've known, especially after you were researching those metals that day."
Leo opened his mouth, but no response came out. He didn't know what to say to her casual observation, so he settled for a small, noncommittal nod.
The girl looked back at the bookshelf, her fingers brushing lightly over the spines. "So," she said, her tone curious, "are you preparing for another duel or something?"
"No," Leo answered plainly, shaking his head. "Just looking for books on herbs, oils, and alchemy." His voice was calm but hinted at his focus on something beyond fighting.
She hummed thoughtfully, scanning the shelves. "Herbs and alchemy, huh?" After a moment, she plucked a few books from the shelf and handed them to him. "These should help."
Leo took the books, his crimson eyes flickering with surprise at her ease of assisting him. "Thanks," he said, his voice quieter, a hint of genuine appreciation threading through his tone.
As she turned to leave, she glanced back at him, her expression calm but tinged with mischief. "Of course—it's only natural to help your future family member."
Leo froze mid-step, her words hanging in the air like a firecracker about to explode. His brows furrowed, and he muttered under his breath, "What?"
The girl chuckled softly. "My name is Velmira Saravelle," she said, her voice warm but carrying a quiet confidence. With that, she turned and walked away.
Leo stood still, her name lingering in his mind like an unsolved puzzle. Then it clicked. "Velmira Saravelle," he muttered, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Lucian's fiancée."
The realization settled over him, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. Of course. Leonhardt had heard of her before, but never once seen her in person. That's why Leo hadn't recognized her immediately.
Velmira, the daughter of a count, wasn't just any noble. Her affinity with divine mana placed her far above the ordinary.
Divine mana was a rarity, highly desired, and House Caulem couldn't afford to lose someone like her. The Duke had made the pragmatic choice to betroth her to Lucian, further securing their family's standing.
Leo walked to a nearby table and sat down heavily, the books resting in front of him. He let out a soft sigh, his fingers brushing against the cover of the topmost book. "Well," he muttered to himself, "at least Lucian got a good girl." His tone wasn't bitter—just calm, contemplative.
"She even seems nice. Even to me."
Leaning back slightly, Leo opened the first book, flipping through the pages with practiced ease. Ok, Elynn, he thought. Scan.
_____
Meanwhile, in Veymoor town's dark guild, an guy stood before the bounty board, his rough hands pinning a fresh sketch into the wood. Leonhardt Caulem's face was on the portrait.
The tags below it was: Dead – 500 Gold Crowns. Alive – 800 Gold Crowns.
****************************
Hey reader buddies!
Just a quick update—tomorrow's Chapters 37 and 38 will be released early, sometime between 9 AM to 12 PM IST, due to a some reasons.
Also, starting from Chapter 38, the book will be entering premium! I'd really appreciate your support as we take this next step.
Thank you!