It's This Guy!

"Help?" Elena pressed her two index fingers together and whispered, "What kind of help...?"

Girls were actually quite aware of the tricks men used to flirt with them, especially girls like Elena, as long as the tricks were not too sophisticated.

Asking a girl for help was, plainly speaking, just creating an opportunity to spend time together, wasn't it?

"I need some materials for card-making, as well as a few cardmaker assistants." Caroso ignored the comments.

The comments only said he could not date this girl. They never said they could not help each other, right?

His father had once said that as long as the benefits were great enough, even enemies should sit down and have a calm conversation.

Caroso felt that he had just helped her with her problems, so asking for some compensation now was perfectly fair.

Caroso had only just arrived in the royal capital and did not understand the prices of many materials. If the materials Netizens needed were particularly obscure, the school's materials shop likely would not carry them.

At times like this, Caroso needed some local connections.

And cardmaker assistants were people who could not become cardmakers themselves and instead served cardmakers.

Caroso had just arrived, so he did not know where to hire reliable cardmaker assistants.

Surely Elena would not charge too much for the sake of friendship.

"Um, Brother Caroso needs to make cards..." Elena bit her lip. "I'll help..."

"Kolea, it's mealtime. Don't you think it's rather rude to come here and talk about this instead of eating?" The man beside Elena interrupted their conversation.

"Karei, Brother Caroso is a guest." Elena's voice sounded as though she was either persuading Karei or acting cute.

"Who are you?" Caroso turned his gaze toward the man.

The name Karei made Caroso wary.

The comments had previously said that Karei had gouged out his eyes, but he did not know who Karei was.

Could it really be a coincidence that a Karei had appeared beside Elena?

"Karei Quint, third-year student at the Warrior Academy, fourth-tier warrior." Ignoring Elena, Karei stared fixedly at Caroso. "My father is Grand Duke Quint of Gao Yan Province."

"Karei Quint?" Caroso narrowed his eyes.

[Boss Caro, it's this guy!]

[Holy shit, it matches up. This is the guy who gouged out Boss Caro's eyes in the dungeon.]

[Wait, why would Boss Caro encounter a fourth-tier opponent when he was third-tier? They shouldn't have been in the same dungeon, right?]

[No idea. This part of the plot was way too vague, nothing but cryptic nonsense from start to finish.]

[I found the CG. Boss Caro is lying on the ground while this guy pierces his eye with a rapier. Boss Caro is gripping the blade, and Karei has this look of pure delight.]

[Fuck, this guy wasn't even in our storyline. I seriously want to screw him over a thousand times.]

"If you think I'm being rude..." Caroso casually pulled out a white glove from his pocket and flung it at Karei's chest.

Osiris Kolea had once said: when you confirm that someone is an enemy, do everything possible to crush them. At the very least, gather enough intelligence to prepare for war.

Caroso could sit down with an enemy to eat and talk, but he could also go all out to crush someone once he considered them an enemy.

Which choice to make was something Caroso had to judge for himself.

Judging from the comments, Elena fought dirty, while this man would have a direct conflict with him.

Then there was nothing wrong with getting an early look at his strength.

"Brother Caroso!"

Elena covered her mouth, her pretty face turning pale as she felt she had caused trouble.

She did not know why, but despite knowing she had caused trouble, she felt a faint thrill of delight.

Is my charm really that powerful? Caroso is actually going to duel someone for me...

"Caroso, calm down!" Rayne had not expected Caroso to be so uncompromising. The other man had only called him rude, yet he had immediately thrown down a glove.

If the two of them fought, it would be bad no matter who got hurt!

If it happened in a dungeon, or they settled it in secret, it would have nothing to do with Rayne. But if the sons of two dukes dueled while he was present...

Karei also stared at Caroso in disbelief. "I'm a third-year!"

"I know. You're a third-year." Caroso nodded. "Is there a rule saying first-years can't challenge third-years?"

[Boss Caro, the prince is right. Calm down!]

[A fourth-tier warrior may be trash in our eyes, but you're only third-tier right now!]

[Everything below fourth-tier is low-tier. Only fourth through sixth-tier are high-tier. You aren't even in the same league!]

[This game is very logical. Challenging above your level is really difficult!]

[Why is Baby Caro being so impulsive? This isn't like him.]

[Boss Caro, keep a low profile. This isn't the time when you can slaughter gods and Buddhas alike.]

[Do you really think Boss Caro is the type to keep a low profile...]

[Uh, weren't you guys the ones saying Boss Caro could take on a fourth-tier? Fuck, did Boss Caro take that seriously?]

[Goddammit, is this somehow my fault in the end?]

[No, it'd be fine if Boss Caro had a full set of heavy trap cards, but he only has three.]

[Looking at his expression, why do I feel like Boss Caro is the one bullying someone here...]

[Fuck, now that you mention it, that's true. Boss Caro looks way more confident.]

[Trying to suppress someone the moment they disagree with him, this is... classic villain behavior!]

[I have to say, Baby Caro throwing down that glove was so cute...]

"Fine, I accept your challenge." Karei laughed. "Time and place?"

"Now. The arena." Caroso said coldly, "The rules will follow the school's regulations."

"So that's what you were waiting for?" Karei's lips curled slightly. "Challenges between different tiers require special rules. You're third-tier, so the cards I use cannot exceed third-tier. As for points, since I'm one tier above you, we can each only use ten points. That means three three-star cards and one one-star card, or two three-star cards and two two-star cards. Any combination is allowed."

[???]

[There's a rule like that?]

[Fuck, doesn't that mean this is an easy win? Why the hell was I worried before? I actually doubted Boss Caro's combat intelligence.]

[Uh... Boss Caro has this scheming side too?]

[Is my Thank You about to make its debut?]

"You two, this..." Rayne opened his mouth, then shot Elena a fierce glare.

Like a startled little rabbit, Elena hurriedly hid behind Caroso.

Seeing this, Karei felt his blood pressure shoot through the roof.

Over the past two years of studying in the royal capital, he and Elena had always had a good relationship.

He had even seen love in Elena.

Karei had it all planned out: once they graduated, he would propose to Elena.

He was the son of a grand duke, while Elena was the kingdom's princess. They were a perfect match.

Whether for political reasons or personal ones, Elena and he were made for each other.

This Caroso had barely arrived and already wanted to steal her from him?

What infuriated him most was that Elena had hidden behind Caroso. She had picked the wrong person to hide behind!

"Can't this be discussed properly? Why does it have to be settled by a duel..." Rayne said helplessly. "You're both my friends. If you're unhappy because of me, then hit me instead..."

"This has nothing to do with Your Highness." Caroso stared at Karei. "Coming?"

"Coming!"