Minor Damage

After comforting the distraught Linda, Colin washed up, went upstairs, and lay down, waiting for time to pass.

In the bedroom, the candle on the desk had been blown out. Hazy moonlight streamed through the window, casting a glow on Colin, making him look like a god.

This "god" turned over, lying on his side facing the window, then reached out his right hand to scratch his left buttock, rubbed his right foot with his left foot, and yawned.

"Thanks to Brian, if you hadn't gotten Smith fired, our family wouldn't have discovered that Smith is the real genius." Colin recalled Brian's provocative words from last time, but now they sounded pleasant, and the corners of his mouth couldn't help but curl up slightly.

After a long while, Colin suddenly sat up, lit the candle with flint, and drew the blue curtains on both sides of the window. He then nimbly went to the attic entrance, opened the stairs, and prepared to go up.

"Knock, knock, knock." A knock sounded at the door. Colin jumped, "Could my secret have been discovered?"

"Colin, I can't sleep," Linda's voice was a little pitiful.

"What's wrong, sister?" Colin let out a breath, carefully put the ladder back, and turned towards the door.

"You've become a magician's apprentice, and Smith might have the Bronze Bloodline. It feels like a dream. I'm afraid that if I fall asleep, the dream will end," Linda said with a complex tone.

"Sister, don't worry, this is real, everything is real. I will eventually become a wise and great magician, and Smith will eventually become a strong and handsome knight. Go to sleep quickly, you know staying up late is bad for your skin." Colin's heart ached, and he quickly reached for the doorknob, intending to open the door.

"I want to sleep with you," Linda suddenly said.

"Huh?" Colin's hand, which was holding the doorknob, trembled slightly. He then cautiously asked, "What did you say, sister?"

"I want to sleep holding you," Linda said with a very certain tone.

Colin's expression changed drastically. He didn't want to sleep holding Linda; he had been "abused" enough when they were kids. This guy snored and drooled in his sleep.

Colin decisively went back to the bed, picked up his large pillow, opened the door, and in a flash, stuffed the pillow into Linda's arms.

"Hold this and sleep," Colin slammed the door shut.

"You scoundrel. It wouldn't kill you to let me hold you for a bit." Linda stared blankly for a long time, then let out a roar.

Colin stubbornly refused to open the door. Only when Linda seemed to get tired and leave did he let out a sigh of relief. Then he scurried to the attic entrance, opened the ladder, went up to the attic to retrieve materials and magical tools, and began making the Basic Strength Potion.

Monday.

Dark clouds covered the sky like an invisible black curtain. Without the sun's awakening, Colin slept a little longer than usual.

After getting up and dressed, he went downstairs and greeted Linda, who was in the kitchen preparing breakfast with dark circles under her eyes, before going to wash up.

After breakfast, with Linda's weak cheers, Colin put on his backpack, strapped his Training Greatsword, and went to school.

Coincidentally, Colin met his classmate Brian at the school gate. Brian was also carrying a black backpack, his right hand gripping his Training Greatsword. Beside him was his good friend Chal.

Colin looked at the two, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly, and walked over.

Brian and Chal also noticed Colin. Chal took a small step back, revealing a cowardly look of fear. Brian instinctively wanted to retreat as well, but when he thought of his new backer, coupled with the blow to the Russell family, his confidence surged. He held his head high and looked at Colin.

"Do you want to beat us up? You know, competing in training class is one thing, but bullying classmates within the academy is another," Brian narrowed his eyes and provoked.

"No. How could I beat you? I should be thanking you." Colin shook his head, his tone quite cheerful. He stepped forward, affectionately patted Brian's left shoulder, and sincerely thanked him, "Thank you, classmate Brian."

After speaking, Colin made no further moves, walked through the academy gate with light steps, humming a little tune.

The damage was minimal, but the insult was extreme.

Brian's face immediately turned the color of liver. He clenched his fists tightly, turned around, and glared fiercely at Colin's retreating back, wishing he could tear him to shreds.

"Brian, didn't you ask your father to use his influence in the Ministry of Finance to remove Smith Russell from his position as Financial Officer? But why does he look so happy? And why is he thanking you?" Chal asked incredulously.

"He's humiliating me," Brian gritted his teeth. Unaware of the truth, he naturally didn't know what made Colin happy and only thought it was humiliation.

"That bastard," Chal was stunned for a moment, then cursed.

"But he won't be able to jump around for long. Without Smith Russell's salary, he won't be able to scrape together tuition fees next year. Let's just endure it for now, we'll be fine after this year," Chal sneered again.

"That's true." Brian's mood immediately improved. The corners of his mouth showed a cold smile, and he entered Will Knight Academy with Chal.

In the classroom, students gathered in twos and threes according to their circles, chatting. Many students were occupying the aisles.

As Colin walked in and headed straight for his seat, the students occupying the aisles parted like waves, as if a fierce tiger had entered a flock of sheep.

Colin didn't mind. He went to his seat and sat down, shoving his backpack into his desk. Bill leaned over and said to Colin, "Brian is about to get rich."

"Oh? How so?" Colin raised an eyebrow and asked.

"The empire's war in the east is not going well, resulting in some cities being captured and a large number of refugees flooding into the empire's heartland. Now, the empire's grain not only has to supply the army but also a portion for the refugees," Bill glanced at Brian and said in a low voice.

Colin suddenly understood. Brian's family was a major grain merchant, and Brian's father, the wealthy merchant Kebir, was also the vice president of the Will City Grain Association. Originally, the war in the empire's east would cause grain prices to rise. Now, with the empire's unfavorable war situation and the refugee crisis, prices would rise even further.

If grain merchants don't get rich, who will?

"The sky will rain, and my mother will get married. It serves him right that his family is profiting from war, what can be done?" Colin shrugged, not caring.

"The sky will rain, and my mother will get married? What does that mean? I've watched the rain for over ten years, and I haven't seen my mother get married?" Bill was stunned, but he was already accustomed to Colin's sudden and abrupt remarks.

"Aren't you angry? This guy just made your Smith lose his job, and now he's going to get rich," Bill calmed himself down and asked.

Colin didn't answer the question, just turned to look out the window.

How should he deal with someone who, although a commoner, had great influence in Will City, was very wealthy, and was the vice president of the Grain Association?

Moreover, Brian was currently associating with Lyon Brown.