Not A Peaceful Morning

Kaiser strolls around the school campus, his eyes idly taking in the scenery. The gentle morning breeze brushes past, rustling the leaves and carrying the soft, pleasant scent of flowers and grass. As he walks, he raises his right hand and channels his Mana into the silver bracelet on his wrist. A faint light flickers across a small portion of the bracelet's surface before quickly fading away

Suddenly, a loud voice echoes from a distance, shattering the peaceful atmosphere

"You think you're better than me?"

The words make Kaiser stop in his tracks. He turns toward the source of the sound and sees three male students standing around a young girl. The scene immediately catches his attention

'Such an arrogant tone... Bullying?' Kaiser thinks to himself, narrowing his eyes

The three boys, exuding an air of arrogance, have surrounded the pink-haired girl. One of them, seemingly the leader, stands directly in front of her, shouting

"You think beating me in a duel is something to be proud of? That was just because I wasn't prepared, and you simply got lucky! A commoner like you could never compare to us nobles!"

The girl, her eyes cast downward, meekly responds in a trembling voice

"I... I'm sorry... it was my fault..."

Her weak response only fuels Kaiser's irritation. He observes the scene more closely and quickly recognizes something

'Are they talking about Lily's duel?' Kaiser wonders, his eyes landing on the pink-haired girl 'Looking closer, yeah, that's her. I've seen her before' His gaze shifts to the three boys 'As for them… no idea. I didn't pay much attention'

The girl remains still, her shoulders trembling under the weight of their harsh words. The boys continue their verbal assault, using their noble status to intimidate her

"Your illusion magic is nothing but a cheap trick" the leader sneers "If I had been properly prepared, do you really think you'd stand a chance? What a joke!"

The girl clenches her hands tightly but says nothing more, simply repeating

"I'm... sorry..."

Kaiser watches the scene unfold, his sharp eyes flashing with dissatisfaction

'This is so aggravating' he thinks silently, his frustration building

Without hesitation, Kaiser steps forward with a casual yet confident demeanor. The sound of his footsteps on the stone pavement draws the group's attention

"What's all the noise about?" Kaiser asks, his deep, steady voice carrying an unmistakable weight

The three boys turn around, their expressions briefly showing surprise at the sight of Kaiser. The leader frowns, trying to appear calm, but his voice betrays his lack of confidence

"This has nothing to do with you. It's just a matter between us and this girl"

"Oh, really?" Kaiser raises an eyebrow, his gaze sweeping over the three boys before landing on the pink-haired girl

"I don't think bullying someone just because she beat you in a duel is the right thing to do, especially when you're using your noble status to intimidate others"

"You...!" The leader clenches his fists, his face turning red with anger and embarrassment. "This isn't your business! Stay out of it!"

Kaiser smiles faintly, unfazed by the boy's defiant words. He steps closer to the group, his confidence radiating with every step

"Oh, but I think I'm perfectly suited to get involved in this situation" Kaiser says, his voice calm yet sharp

The leader swallows hard as Kaiser draws nearer

"Who do you think you are?"

"Just a commoner" Kaiser replies, stopping right in front of him. He places a hand on the boy's shoulder - gentle but firm, carrying an undeniable weight

"My life has been pretty lucky... And," Kaiser leans in slightly, his piercing eyes locking onto the boy's wavering gaze

"I'm absolutely certain I can beat you"

Kaiser's smile widens, but the sharpness in his eyes makes the boy feel an overwhelming pressure. The proximity and Kaiser's taller frame further emphasize the difference in their presence

The leader freezes for a moment, hesitation filling his eyes. He's already seen Kaiser's combat abilities when he faced Lily, so he's well aware of the vast gap in their skills

Kaiser chuckles softly, his gaze growing even more intense

"I don't like seeing people bully the weak, especially when you're clearly using your numbers to act tough. If you want, we can settle this another way"

Hearing Kaiser's challenging tone, the three boys falter. They exchange uncertain glances before turning back to Kaiser with awkward expressions

"Fine! We don't need to waste our time with someone like you" the leader mutters, then looks at the pink-haired girl "This time, we'll let it go, but don't think this is over!"

The three boys quickly turn and walk away, their hurried steps betraying their eagerness to leave the scene, leaving the pink-haired girl standing there, her expression a mix of surprise and confusion

"Typical nobles" Kaiser murmurs, his eyes following their retreating figures

"Arrogant, entitled, rude..." Memories of unpleasant encounters with noble children at the palace flash through his mind.

He pauses for a moment, then shrugs and smiles slightly

"Though I suppose that's not all of them"

Turning back, Kaiser's gaze softens as he looks at the girl in front of him. Now, up close, he can see her more clearly. She's petite and slightly frail, her long, pale pink hair slightly messy, with loose strands partially obscuring her eyes

"Are you okay?" Kaiser asks gently, his voice no longer cold as before

The girl lifts her head, her eyes flickering with a mix of surprise and gratitude

"I… thank you so much…" Her voice is soft and trembling

"It's nothing" Kaiser replies, a faint smile tugging at his lips "But next time, don't bow and apologize to people like that. You defeated them fairly, and you have nothing to be sorry for"

The girl nods slightly, her lips pressing together as she tries to muster a smile, though it's still a bit shy. Kaiser watches her for a moment, unsure how to comfort her further. He lightly pats her shoulder

"I'll go now. See you tomorrow" He then turns and walks away

The pink-haired girl remains rooted in place, her eyes following Kaiser's retreating figure until he disappears from view. After a moment, she slowly raises her hand to her shoulder, gently touching the spot where he had placed his hand. Her lips move as if to say something, but the words never come. Instead, a faint smile graces her tired face