However, that wasn't necessary.
Because Luvia had already answered first.
"My name is Luvia Edelfelt, hehe~ Hearing that name should tell you what you need to know, right?"
"Edelfelt? Don't tell me...!"
"That's right, I'm the next head of the Edelfelt family, and also my big brother's cousin! I came here to visit the Clock Tower, and I didn't expect to see such an exciting battle!"
A faint blush colored Luvia's face.
Despite being a tender seven-year-old girl, one could feel a hint of charm from her at this moment.
She was clearly a beautiful, budding talent.
Her eyes, fixed on Moran, were filled with sparkling starlight.
"Brother Moran, don't be so stiff! You still haven't called me by name!"
"Uh... Luvia... cousin...?"
Moran's mind finally caught up.
He remembered that this was indeed the case.
If they traced their family ties, Luvia before him was indeed his cousin.
Because the Edelfelt family's attitude towards him had been lukewarm, he hadn't paid much attention to this relationship.
Now, a sister had appeared out of nowhere.
It truly caught Moran off guard for a moment.
"Mmm, just call me Luvia! You don't have to be so reserved when you're with me! Onii-san~!"
Luvia puffed out her cheeks unhappily.
Even when angry, she looked as cute as a doll.
It was just that this subtle atmosphere...
If he and Luvia weren't cousins, people might think he had some strange fetish.
"Alright, then Luvia...?"
"Yay! Big brother! You're so sweet!"
Luvia seemed very happy.
Crowne, seeing this scene, couldn't help but feel a little flustered.
Chapter 32: That Tragic Nature [Seeking Flowers! Seeking Monthly Votes!]
"Miss Luvia, you are the next head of the Edelfelt family, and Lord Moran is the legitimate son of a branch family. Is this appropriate...?"
"Crowne, since when is it your place to order me around? Besides, with a big brother who has such exquisite wrestling and fighting skills, I don't care about differences in status! I want to learn from him!"
Luvia hugged Moran's arm tightly, like a protective hyena, showing no intention of letting go.
"But you are..."
"Hmph! Before I am the next head of the Edelfelt family, I am a graceful lady. For a lady, freestyle wrestling and fighting are essential courses that cannot be avoided!"
Luvia's words made Crowne's vision go black.
What exquisite sophistry this was.
Since when did ladies need to learn freestyle wrestling?
It was clear that the servant could not argue with the young lady.
"Lord Moran, Miss Luvia may visit you frequently in the near future, and sometimes she will likely make unreasonable requests. I hope you can be more understanding."
"Haha... I will..."
Moran gave a wry smile to the servant Crowne's request.
"Also, Lord Moran, your performance in this duel will undoubtedly be reported back to the main family. The Edelfelts adhere to the principle of never letting go of a discovered treasure. I apologize for my previous underestimation; you are a gem of gold that I could not see through."
Crowne bowed deeply and respectfully.
Like those who initially believed Moran would lose, he also believed Moran couldn't create miracles.
Moran didn't feel anything about Crowne's attitude.
Because he knew that people were like this.
Respect had to be earned through one's own abilities.
Before wanting to gain respect, one had to see if they had the ability to make others respect them.
Moran clearly possessed it.
Respect was therefore inevitable.
Luvia's appearance made those around them gradually realize that the Edelfelt family stood behind Moran.
No one dared to underestimate Moran anymore.
Afterward, Luvia had to reluctantly leave Moran to complete the procedures with the Clock Tower.
As she left, she shouted that she would visit again later.
Moran didn't know what expression to put on.
Then again, having such a cute little sister following him didn't seem like a bad thing.
He figured the days ahead likely wouldn't be peaceful.
"I, Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald, hereby admit my previous overconfidence in innate factors."
Kayneth said in the video, his face tense, speaking word by word.
It was as if he were swallowing some kind of poison.
Moran played the recording back and forth with his camera.
He was thoroughly enjoying the process.
Camus, who left class with him, was fidgeting all the way, as if she wanted to say something.
"Moran-kun, are you going to take the videotape back to copy it? Wouldn't that go against your previous promise to Teacher Kayneth...?"
"Camus, you don't understand. I only said I'd delete the recording from this camera. Kayneth didn't say I couldn't copy it. Something this interesting needs to be properly collected."
Moran had a sly smile on his face, like a cunning merchant.
Camus couldn't help but feel a moment of pity for Kayneth.
However, asking about the recording wasn't her main objective; she wanted to use this as a conversation starter.
"Um! Moran-kun! Do you perhaps have some free time! I know a good coffee shop nearby!"
Camus blurted out, her face red, as if she'd thrown a bomb.
She couldn't suppress the restlessness in her heart.
After speaking, she saw Moran extend his hand to block her.
"Moran-kun..."
Camus looked confused.
Soon, she understood why Moran had done that.
Thump, thump—
The dull sound of leather shoes hitting the ground, a dark silhouette cast on the ground by the light of the streetlamp around the corner.
It was as if they were blocking their path.
"Hmph, Amures, you want to challenge me again? This time, the outcome won't be so good."
Moran lowered the hand he had placed in front of Camus.
He was staring at the street corner.
The owner of that dark shadow was Amures; Moran had noticed him as soon as he approached.
No, this guy wasn't hiding his presence at all.
"Camus, you! As soon as you see Moran getting the upper hand, you get this close to him!? You're like a dog sniffing out meat! You slut! All of you are the same!"
Amures's facial injuries had not yet healed.
Under the cover of night, his roar was like the howl of a vengeful spirit.
It conveyed his resentment and hatred.
His appearance was so hideous it made one want to look away.
"Amures..."
Camus was startled and didn't know what to say.
She could hardly imagine that the former model student in their class could be twisted into such an ugly existence by hatred.
In the past, she had also been at the bottom of the class.
She could only follow behind the group of top students to avoid being ostracized by others and becoming an outsider.
Because of this, she admired and envied Moran.
She yearned for him, who was seen as weak, to overturn and change reality.
Perhaps, as Amures said.
She was indeed a woman who could only cling to the strong.
Camus was certain that the stirrings in her heart were not opportunism, but a yearning to reveal her true self.
At this very moment, she expressed this love for the first time.
"The weak also have the right to voice their opinions, and of course, they all have different ways of surviving. What's wrong with sticking to your own path? Amures, or perhaps, are you jealous of Camus?"
Moran teased playfully.
While responding to Camus's inner emotions, his words also struck a painful nerve for Amures.
"Shut up! Shut up! If it weren't for you! I wouldn't have been expelled from the El-Melloi classroom! I wouldn't have been kicked out of the Clock Tower! You ruined my future!"
Amures tore at his hair as if he had gone mad.
He still remembered those cold gazes.
After Kayneth removed him from the El-Melloi classroom, not a single department was willing to accept him.
The reason was that even that genius lord had declared he had no future.
So, they certainly wouldn't teach someone mediocre.
Maguses from all departments said the same thing, branding him with the label of having no future.
This was truly falling from heaven into hell.
And this was merely Moran's previous situation.
A simple switch in status had driven Amures into a frenzy, his mind solely focused on finding someone to hate and blame.
Otherwise, he couldn't face this reality.
Moran saw through Amures's pathetic nature.
Chapter 33: Myth Manifestation, Cerberus [Seeking Flowers! Seeking Monthly Votes!]
"Without Teacher Kayneth protecting you! If it's just Magecraft, how could someone of your inferior bloodline be my opponent!"
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