Explanation

Colin's gaze swept over the two classmates who usually stuck close to Brian. The sons of wealthy merchants shuddered as though rabbits stared down by a tiger, then hurried forward obediently. One lifted Brian's legs, the other his shoulders, and carried him away.

The children of wealthy merchants and rich farmers present were all exceedingly embarrassed and turned their heads away.

Clap, clap, clap. Ms. Anna clapped her hands at the right moment. Once she had the students' attention, she said sternly, "The academy allows you to spar, not to provoke trouble. Colin did not take the opportunity to kill Chal because this is the academy, and you are classmates. If this had been out on an adventure, even dying a hundred times would not have been enough to make up for what he did."

After a pause, Ms. Anna looked at Colin approvingly and smiled. "Forget the unpleasantness of these two matches. Colin's Roer Military Swordsmanship is excellent. I hope you can learn from it and improve yourselves."

"All right, continue training."

Colin bowed slightly to Ms. Anna and obediently returned to practicing his swordsmanship. Still, he could not help being distracted. He relied entirely on allocating points to level up.

The children of wealthy merchants and rich farmers were rather dazed. They had been too busy watching the spectacle just now. They had only felt that Colin's swordsmanship was incredibly nimble, without carefully observing it. Now that they thought about it, they regretted missing such a good opportunity.

However, the noble students, who surpassed the children of wealthy merchants and rich farmers in physical ability, intelligence, and swordsmanship alike, all revealed thoughtful expressions. They had grasped something.

Among the noble students, the leaders had made tremendous progress in their Roer Military Swordsmanship. Every movement they made was nimble and varied.

A faint smile appeared on Ms. Anna's face. Though the reasons behind the two matches had been somewhat unsavory, the outcome was gratifying.

"Colin." Bill was still nearby, training with his Training Greatsword, but he too was distracted. He glared at Colin and gave a cold snort, his face clearly showing his anger.

As for why he was angry, Colin sighed. What was coming had come. It wasn't just Bill—I had to come up with an excuse to fob off Smith and Linda too.

"I'll explain after school," Colin said quietly.

"That bastard made me worry for so many days for nothing." Bill was still furious. He glared fiercely at Colin, then vented his anger by swinging his Training Greatsword with great force.

Yet he was also deeply puzzled. I spend five days a week with this guy. His strength used to be about the same as Chal's, and they fought back and forth evenly. At least, that was the case before he took the Bloodline Potion, and it really seemed like he had failed to absorb it. But ever since he returned from Kent City, he has been different. What happened? I'm happy that he has grown stronger, but this bastard actually kept it from me. Damn it.

The doubts in his heart eventually turned into anger.

Nothing particularly noteworthy happened afterward. Until school ended, Colin did not see Brian. Chal returned from the infirmary, and he heard that Chal's injuries were serious and would not heal anytime soon.

After learning this, the children of wealthy merchants and rich farmers repeatedly looked at Colin with fear in their eyes. No one wanted to become the next Brian or Chal. In their hearts, Colin had become someone they absolutely could not afford to provoke.

After school, Colin slung his backpack over his shoulders, tucked his Training Greatsword at his waist, and walked out of the academy gates side by side with Bill.

After turning right outside the academy and walking for a while, the two arrived on Marquis Kent Street. Only then did Colin turn to look at Bill and apologize. "Don't be angry. I wasn't trying to hide it from you. I just didn't know how to explain it."

"We're good friends. Of course, I won't pry too much into your privacy. But I thought you had failed to absorb the Bloodline Potion, and I was afraid Brian and Chal would bully you. Yet you were clearly this strong. I feel like I was being played." Bill was still angry, huffing indignantly. However, he did not turn and leave, clearly wanting to hear Colin's explanation.

Colin felt ashamed and sighed inwardly. We might be good friends, but I could never tell him about the system, even if it killed me. I could only lie.

Colin looked around before lowering his voice. "After I returned from Kent City this time, I met a reclusive old mage in a village outside Will City. He said I had the potential to become a mage, so he took me on as an apprentice. He also gave me a Bloodline Potion, a Strength Potion, an Agility Potion, and some strange potions. After taking all those potions, I gained my current strength."

Bill wore an expression that said he had expected as much. "That's more or less what I guessed. Many legendary powerhouses had experiences similar to yours. They met a wise mage or some wondrous creature, then embarked on a journey of adventure."

As he spoke, Bill rubbed his chin and added, "Other than that, there's no way to explain why your strength changed so drastically."

Colin immediately felt relieved. Thank this fantastical world, thank those novels, biographies, and rumors. Just as Bill had filled in the gaps himself, nearly every powerhouse from an ordinary background had one thing in common: they met a wise old mage or a wondrous creature.

"Congratulations, Colin. You'll definitely become one of the strong among the extraordinary, revive the Russell family, and let Smith, Linda, and yourself live good lives." After hearing the explanation, Bill was no longer angry and offered his heartfelt blessing. He knew Colin well and understood what Colin sought.

"Thank you, Bill." Colin's heart warmed, and he thanked him with a smile.

Now that the explanation was over, there was no need to wander around. After the friends said goodbye, they headed toward Wright Street. At an intersection, they bade each other farewell and parted ways.

"Welcome back, Colin." When Colin reached the front door, Linda came out to greet him as usual, wearing an apron. This time, however, she held an iron spatula in her hand. She hugged and kissed Colin.

The softness against her chest still made Colin terribly uncomfortable. He fled upstairs as though escaping, leaving Linda standing there with a smile in her eyes.

The boy has grown up. But perhaps I should be more careful too?

Not long afterward, Smith returned as well. Linda called Colin downstairs as usual, and Colin answered before coming down. Dinner had returned to normal today: a steak and a glass of water for everyone, along with a large basket of bread, enough for all.

The roast chicken that had welcomed Colin home from his grand adventure in Kent City was a luxury for the Russell family.

During dinner, Smith and Linda continued exchanging stories of their day while Colin rarely spoke. After the meal, Smith was about to pat his backside and leave the mess for Linda to deal with, but Colin's expression turned serious.