Chapter 15: We All Misunderstood Sila!

The library was plunged into an eerie atmosphere.

Everyone was stunned by Sila's generosity, and for a moment, no one dared to speak, just looking at each other in astonishment.

Scott was the first to break the silence, his voice tinged with bitterness as he sneered, "So what? He's just got a few bucks, right?"

He was jealous of Sila's astonishing wealth and couldn't help but recall how his own brotherhood, which he had painstakingly built, was easily bought off by the other side with money. The more he thought about it, the more frustrated he felt, and a fiery rage began to burn in his heart.

Seeing him speak, the members of the brotherhood were quick to retaliate.

A burly member with a ferocious scar across his face stepped forward, his eyes filled with disdain, and said bluntly, "Scott, if you're so capable, why don't you put up that much money too?"

"Mr. Sila has the power to enjoy better resources. Don't you agree?"

Another lanky member also chuckled with a sarcastic tone, "Oh well... it's good to have money, isn't it? Maybe you should consider upgrading our training room too?"

...

However, some students who had already been dissatisfied with Sila's high-profile behavior chose to echo Scott's words.

A well-groomed student adjusted his glasses and spoke up, "Sila's lavish spending and disruption of the academy's rules are not praiseworthy actions."

"If he can do this today, who knows what even more outrageous things he might do in the future."

"Exactly... don't forget how many people in the academy had their love stolen by him before."

"He's just a nouveau riche with poor talent. What's the point of spending money?"

...

Most people had harbored resentment towards Sila for a long time, and with Scott taking the lead, they immediately began to mock him.

Their bitter and harsh words echoing through the library.

Just at that moment, suddenly—

With a loud "Bang!"

Someone slammed their hand down on the table.

"Hey, isn't what you're saying a bit too much, guys? After all, we did benefit from the training amplification provided by that person named Sila earlier."

The speaker was Leon, the protagonist of "Journey of Radiance". As someone inherently warm-hearted and kind, he couldn't bring himself to gossip behind someone's back after receiving their benefits, nor did he want to see his classmates behave so despicably.

"Forget it, don't stick up for that spendthrift." Isaac tugged at Leon's sleeve, only to find that while he had stopped one person, another of their friends stood up.

It was Vivian, the pale and petite genius girl from the Alchemy department.

She stepped forward and declared loudly, "Enough! Sila is not some fool. He has never been this extravagant with his use of mithril and auric crystals to amplify the training room before."

"His talent is only grade D. This time, by enhancing the training room, he won't gain any benefits for himself."

"Only we are enjoying the perks. Don't you find that strange?"

Her words instantly silenced the entire room.

The students at Victoria Magic Academy were not stupid.

On the contrary, most of them were quick-witted and well-informed.

They quickly realized how odd Sila's series of actions were.

Forcibly rushing into the training room, spending lavishly, and almost being killed on the spot by Discipline Instructor Mannstein – what benefits had he gained?

The answer was, none at all!

The only ones who benefited were the nearly hundred students and teachers in and around the library when the training room's energy was released. Many of them had taken the opportunity to advance their strength by one level.

"So... eliminating all the impossibilities, the only thing left must be the truth. Did Sila come this time solely to give out benefits to his classmates?" One student muttered softly, his voice tinged with thick confusion.

"Why would he do that? Just to let us improve our strength and enjoy the training room, while he bears such a huge loss? This... is this something that Sila would do?" Everyone looked skeptical, unable to believe it.

"But if he's paying such a huge price and it's not for us to improve our cultivation, and he gains no benefits himself, does that mean Sila just wants to burn money for fun? How could that be?"

"With his style, if he were to burn money, it would only be on women!"

The crowd discussed among themselves, unable to resist reevaluating Sila's actions in their hearts. Upon reflection...

The students gradually filled in the pieces of the truth.

Although Sila's behavior at school might have been somewhat reckless on some days, harassing many beautiful female students, he had never actually bullied or oppressed his classmates violently like Scott (mostly because he lacked the strength to do so).

Today, his actions seemed to be extending olive branches to his fellow students through the meditation chamber.

"Is he actually apologizing to us!?" one student couldn't help but say.

"That's the only logical explanation." Vivian observed, glancing towards the exit of the library. Despite her many doubts, she felt this was the only reasonable interpretation.

For a moment, the atmosphere in the library grew subtly tense.

Everyone looked at one another, and those who had just been mocking Sila couldn't help but show traces of guilt on their faces.

After all...

Thinking along these lines...

Sila wasn't a bad person at all!

The vast resources he had expended had genuinely benefited numerous students immensely.

The crowd couldn't resist discussing among themselves.

Why hadn't Sila clearly stated his intentions, instead adopting an arrogant demeanor from start to finish? This was actually quite easy to explain. After all, wealthy playboys like him were often arrogant and overbearing.

Yes, according to those popular novels, it was called being "tsundere"?

In reality, he was full of kindness towards everyone but simply wasn't good at expressing it.

In the library, some female students who had been harassed by Sila before couldn't help but feel moved.

They pondered to themselves that perhaps they had misunderstood Sila.

Though his behavior was sometimes lighthearted, he had genuinely spent a fortune for his classmates, enhancing their meditation efficiency.

They regretted having rejected him so firmly before.

"Sila is a kind-hearted person, he's just a bit indulgent when it comes to romantic relationships." one female student whispered.

Suddenly, a wave of introspection swept through the library.

Indeed... Sila had given so much this time!

Such an overwhelming influx of resources left no one able to maintain rational thinking.

Who could have imagined that Sila's lavish spending during meditation had left nearly a hundred people "well-fed"?

The students couldn't comprehend such bizarre wealth and could only explain it based on their own worldviews.

As a result...

Sila's reputation flipped instantly!

Scott stood on the side, utterly stunned.

He never expected that after all his manipulations, not only had Sila escaped punishment but his popularity had soared!

Scott had painstakingly plotted and even enlisted the help of Livia, a recent transfer and a powerful figure at the academy, to stand by his side, hoping to crush Sila and humiliate him.

Instead, he ended up with nothing. Filled with resentment, he failed to notice the strange expression on Livia's face.

Livia didn't seem particularly bothered by the turnaround in Sila's reputation, merely grumbling in irritation, "All that effort for nothing."

...

Outside the library, Sila, who had overheard the students' entire discussion, looked utterly baffled, his head swimming with questions.

He couldn't have cared less about what the students in the academy thought of him.

"I just wanted to improve my training efficiency and tinkered around with the training room a bit, and somehow that erased all the bad rap I had before? "

"Is this the power of money?"

Sila recounted the world before he transcended into this one, where even notorious celebrities could attract die-hard fans with their wealth.

Now, it seemed...

This otherworld was much the same.

Just as he was about to leave, he was suddenly called out. "Sila, your crisis isn't over yet. You need to be careful of that Livia."

Sila instinctively turned around and his expression instantly changed upon seeing the speaker—it was Vivian, the original female protagonist from "Journey of Radiance."

He hadn't even realized when Vivian had slipped out of the library and managed to intercept him so precisely.

As his mind cleared, Sila thought of the name Livia again, and his expression froze once more.

That name... was familiar too!

Taking a deep breath, Sila struggled to compose himself and looked at Vivian, asking, "Vivian, can you tell me more about this Livia? Do you know her?"