Chapter 5: Do you need a reason to help someone in need?

"I didn't need your help, I am capable of handling things on my own," the girl said with a hint of embarrassment as she adjusted her clothing. Lucius, with scratches all over his body from a scuffle, gave her a curious look. "Isn't it rather naive of you to think that way?" he replied, genuinely puzzled by the girl's remark. Surprised by his comment she lifted her head and exclaimed nonsensically, "Who are you suggesting is naive?! Do you think I'm foolish?!"

In Lucius' mind, he thought, "She has a very strong attitude."

The girl approached him and he was a tad bit shocked to see her from up close. She was extremely attractive.

She was a petite girl with curves that defied her small frame. Her violet eyes held a hint of loneliness, like she carried the weight of the world on her delicate shoulders. Her porcelain skin seemed to glow when there eyes crossed paths. She moved with a grace that was both captivating and elusive, like a fleeting dream that desperately wanted to be hold onto. In that moment, she looked like character straight out of a movie. Lucius was the kind of person who chose not to dwell on unnecessary thoughts, so he preferred to keep his comments private. "You never know what might be the outcome of your words in this generation" he claimed.

Lucius lifted one eyebrow while the other remained steady. "I never called you foolish nor mean't it in that way, ma'am. I simply mean't it was rather naive of you to expect me to ignore a girl being harassed like that," he stated with a shrug, nodding in agreement with himself. "I couldn't live with myself if I ignored you."

The girl appeared surprised. She was shocked to discover that there was someone left in the world with such a thoughtful and compassionate mindset. She had believed that people like that no longer existed. The truth is, she was being manipulated by Hubert for some weeks now. Whenever she attempted to seek help from others, including the teachers, nothing was done because Hubert was Frecitannian and of royal descent. They didn't even bat an eye at the thought of being punished.

To believe that someone would rescue her, and not only that but also put themselves in danger without hesitation for her sake. In today's society, selfishness is prevalent, so this act was particularly touching to her. Her face turned bright red and she started to avoid looking at Lucius, finding it difficult to maintain eye contact.

"What's happening to me, am I feeling nervous at the moment?" She pondered with embarrassment in her mind. She averted her gaze downwards nervously as her cheeks flushed bright red. "But-But, you boasted confidently but now you're wounded all over. You were just as weak as he was!" She exclaimed with frustration. Not furious at the fact that Lucius had saved her from a potential threat, but upset because she couldn't comprehend her own emotions. In her heart, she sensed a tumult of various feelings that was not felt before.

Lucius smiled slightly and remarked, "I suppose I did manage to rough myself up, didn't I?" He chuckled sarcastically under his breath.

The girl's heart fluttered in her chest standing next to him, feeling a mixture of excitement and nerves. She couldn't help but steal glances at him, her cheeks flushing with a bright red hue. When he smiled at her, her stomach did somersaults.

After Hubert had rush in with the knife, he hesitated, allowing Lucius to swiftly throw the knife aside. This led to a scuffle between the two boys, resembling two angry babies fighting. Despite Lucius boasting, he proved to be just as weak as Hubert. They were both so weak that it seemed as if they were attempting to embrace rather than fight.

In the end, Lucius forced Hubert to give up and leave, as Lucius, despite being equally weak, persevered and did not give up. This left the both boys with bruises and scratches all over there bodies.

Lucius reached out his hand in a friendly manner, offering a handshake with a warm smile. "I'm Lucius Albright, and what's your name?" he politely inquired. The girl nervously shook his hand, her cheeks blushing as she touched his hands. "I-I'm Ayumi Tamaka!" she replied, speaking aloud and stuttering slightly.

"Tamaka?" Lucius quickly identified her name and was surprised. He recalled the Tamaka family's strong connection to his mother, the princess. They served as her top guards and were skilled protectors who always ensured her safety. In fact, they were the ones who helped him escape with his Aunt Sherly. However, Lucius believed that the entire family had been eliminated by the empire during the war.

Lucius chose not to speak about the situation because there were two significant risks involved. Firstly, revealing the information could jeopardize the secrecy of his royal bloodline and potentially expose his Frecitannian half aswell. Secondly, he might be overthinking things and the girl could simply be an ordinary Japanese who happens to share the same last name.

Even though only a few seconds had passed in reality, in Lucius's thoughts, he had already considered possibilities in an instant. Being cautious was a quality he always possessed.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Ayumi," he said pleasantly. With his face showing no sign of the thoughts he had just seconds ago. He remained completely composed.

Out of nowhere, a loud bell rang loudly in the Academy, interrupting their conversation. A booming automated voice announced over the school's speaker system, "All students, please proceed to class!" Evening classes were about to begin. They were so engrossed in their conversation that they completely overlooked their upcoming classes, and now they were going to be very late.

Ayumi became anxious as she also forgot abour class. "Oh no, I will be late!" she exclaimed loudly before slightly bowing her head and expressing gratitude, "Thank you for assisting me." With that, she hurried off. She is short and had to swiftly move her legs just to run at a regular pace. It was amusing to watch because she appeared to be on the verge of stumbling with every step.

Lucius observed her as she hurried away and couldn't but think to himself, "what a strange girl. I don't know why, but I sense that I will encounter her again in the future."