When they lifted the tent flap again, they saw Chen Cheng, lively and full of vigor, following behind Melinda.
Only then did little Fini have the time to put on the airs of a mistress and scold Chen Cheng alone.
"You idiot, do you not want to live anymore? What did this young lady order you before? If there was danger, this young lady would protect you.
"With those little tricks of yours, what are you showing off for in front of this young lady? You actually took my things without getting my permission.
"Who do you think you are?"
As Fini spoke, she pounded his chest with her fists, tears streaming down her face as she did.
Seeing this, Melinda led everyone away. She knew Fini had been terribly worried about Chen Cheng and that the two of them needed some space.
When Chen Cheng saw that no one nearby was paying attention to them, he pulled Fini into his arms.
Fini twisted about against him for a while before finally going still.
Chen Cheng rested his chin against Fini's forehead and whispered,
"You have to believe in your Little Slave. Your Little Slave is different from the rest. That mere Earth Tyrant Bear could not do anything to me."
"And in the end, I even killed that Earth Tyrant Bear that scared our young Lady Fini."
Chen Cheng lowered his head and whispered into Fini's ear.
Fini was startled when she heard that.
"What did you say? You really did not lie to me?"
"Of course not. How could I lie to my adorable Miss Fini? If you do not believe me, you can ask Teachers Melinda and Isabel."
Yet rather than becoming happy, Fini began crying again.
She was not stupid. She knew how great a price Chen Cheng would have had to pay to kill that Earth Tyrant Bear.
At the same time, she blamed herself. If she had not been so willful, Chen Cheng would not have fallen into danger and been injured.
Seeing her like this, Chen Cheng held her again and comforted her gently.
After stopping her tears, Fini broke free from his embrace, gave a humph, and walked away.
Chen Cheng was somewhat baffled, unable to understand what kind of temper tantrum the young lady was throwing this time.
Still, seeing her lose her temper put Chen Cheng much more at ease.
What Chen Cheng did not see was Fini muttering as she left,
"Absolutely, absolutely, absolutely no next time."
Not long after Fini left, Little Fatty Akasto came trotting over to him.
At this moment, Little Fatty Akasto no longer wore his previous cheerful smile. His little eyes darted around, and then he leaned close to Chen Cheng's ear and whispered,
"Watch out for that little dwarf Coles. When we were being chased through the mountains by that mad Earth Tyrant Bear, I saw the big guy beside that little dwarf hiding in the bushes near us."
Upon hearing this, Chen Cheng's thoughts shifted. He had thought it was merely a coincidence before, but Akasto's reminder made him realize that something was wrong.
The academy had issued notice of this practical course a month ago. Chen Cheng believed that the troops stationed here had long since swept through this forest, driving away or killing any ferocious beasts that could truly endanger the students.
Otherwise, if these noble children were genuinely injured or killed, the academy would not be able to bear the responsibility.
Moreover, the Earth Tyrant Bear was so enormous. According to what was written in the book on ferocious beasts, Earth Tyrant Bears were lazy Magic Beasts. Their lairs were fixed, and they spent all year sleeping inside them.
If there truly had been an Earth Tyrant Bear in this area, the soldiers should have cleared it out long ago.
Chen Cheng did not react excessively. His expression remained unchanged.
Then he bragged to Akasto about how fast he had run. The two acted as though one was showing off while the other was saying, "I could do that too."
From afar, Coles, who had been watching Chen Cheng, had his eyes constantly shifting. He did not know whether Akasto had discovered him in the forest earlier.
But when he looked at the Image Recording Crystal in his hand, none of that mattered anymore. So what if people found out? He had merely wanted to kill a slave, and it had only been attempted murder. There was even less to fear.
As for Fini and Akasto being frightened, they had only been frightened.
Chen Cheng's thoughts at this moment were the same as his. He knew his current status. Even if it were revealed that Coles had tried to murder him, so what?
It was even possible that because Coles's scheme had failed, some brain-addled great noble might think a slave had disgraced the nobility and simply have him killed.
Though the thought was damnably absurd, when he considered how the unified empire represented by this body had ultimately perished over a rumor whose truth was unknown, it no longer seemed impossible.
So Chen Cheng truly did not believe that, in this damned world with its twisted values, those vested interests would possess the thinking of normal people.
Little Fatty merely reminded Chen Cheng to watch out for Coles, lest he be plotted against again next time without even knowing who his enemy was.
At the same time, he secretly swore that once they returned, he would make the William Family pay.
Because he also knew that this was all he could do. His family could not truly turn against a noble over a single fright.
Meanwhile, inside the instructors' tent, Isabel's expression changed the moment she entered. She looked at Melinda as if she were looking at a madwoman.
At that moment, a sharp dagger radiating chilling killing intent had appeared in her hand.
Melinda, who had still been immersed in clearing up the misunderstanding with Chen Cheng, immediately knew something was wrong upon seeing Isabel's expression.
She knew her best friend's temper very well. Looking like this was a sign that Isabel intended to kill someone.
Melinda rushed forward and grabbed her hand, but Isabel said coldly,
"Do you know what you are doing? If your actions are made public, you will be burned at the stake. Have you not considered Teacher Adolf and me at all?
"For your sake, and for Teacher Adolf's and mine, I must kill that Little Slave."
Isabel's words were ice-cold. Yet Melinda gave a bleak smile, and tears once again slid from the corners of her eyes.
Seeing her best friend like this, Isabel's heart ached, while her killing intent toward Chen Cheng grew by another three parts.
"Isabel, there is nothing between him and me. Yes, that is right, I confessed my feelings to him, but he rejected me. Now I only see him as my younger brother. You cannot kill him now."
Melinda did not hesitate to trample on her own reputation just to dispel Isabel's killing intent toward Chen Cheng.
When Isabel heard that Chen Cheng had rejected her, she felt much more relieved. Yet for some reason, her annoyance toward Chen Cheng also increased by another three parts.
After that, she put away the dagger in her hand.
Seeing Isabel put away the dagger, Melinda finally let out the breath she had been holding.
Though Isabel still harbored deep prejudices toward Chen Cheng because of his status, Melinda believed that one day he would shed the identity of a slave and become a powerful noble.
That was right. Even now, Melinda still believed that as long as Chen Cheng gained a true noble identity, the two of them could truly be together.
After the two packed their belongings, they left the tent. Once outside, the commanding officer of the troops stationed at the camp was waiting for them.
The officer was a tall, rugged-looking middle-aged man. He wore steel armor forged by the kingdom's magical craftsmen, and a longsword engraved with magical runes hung at his waist.
His expression was somewhat haggard. It was not only because of the Earth Tyrant Bear Chen Cheng's group had encountered, but also because trouble had occurred in the mountain within his defense zone.
When Melinda and Isabel saw the general, neither of them gave him a pleasant look. Although Isabel disliked Chen Cheng, that somewhat unruly slave student who loved showing off,
an Earth Tyrant Bear, such a powerful ferocious beast, had appeared here. And no matter what, Chen Cheng was still a member of the academy, so this general was also at fault for lax defenses.
Although Como was a military general, he did not have much confidence when facing Melinda and Isabel. After all, this was a world where extraordinary powers existed.
In the Kingdom of Moss, Gold Rank experts could be counted on one's fingers, let alone Melinda, who had already reached Golden Peak, and Isabel, whose magical and martial abilities had both reached Gold Rank.
If these two women went to any nation or any noble territory on the continent, they would be received with the etiquette reserved for honored guests.
And besides, this general's own strength had not even reached Gold Rank.
After Isabel gave him a harsh scolding in a military tone, she waved her hand and dismissed him.
At the same time, when the academy children saw how Teachers Isabel and Melinda had just reprimanded that general, every one of their eyes sparkled like they were filled with little stars.
Fini especially was like this. Of all the academy's teachers, Isabel was the one she admired most.
General Como was not usually so easy to talk to. In the mountain-entry region under his command, if their fathers wanted to send people into the forest through his defense zone, they had to beg and plead as though asking their grandfathers and grandmothers before being allowed through.
When Melinda saw that the children had already packed their bags, she announced that because of the Earth Tyrant Bear's appearance, this practical course would end here.
Though they had not completed enough class time, the lesson that needed to be taught to these children had already been taught. They now understood the terror of the ferocious beasts on this continent.
However, after everyone left, the ferocious beasts around the outskirts of the forest suffered disaster. General Como personally led his men through the outer region, plowing it over as though tilling a field. He even made some discoveries, such as a Level Five Vine Snake skilled in hiding and launching surprise attacks.
If Chen Cheng's group had encountered that thing earlier, the three of them truly would have been poisoned to death by that snake without realizing it.
Before you continue