Seeing Hughberlian's attitude, Mo Dan's lips curled slightly, but there was not the slightest hint of a smile in his eyes.
"Hughberlian... No one would be willing to give their back to filth like you, but I don't mind, because you don't have the ability to resist me."
The contempt in his eyes made it seem as though he had already treated Hughberlian as a toy in the palm of his hand.
"One day, you'll come begging me for help. It's only a matter of sooner or later. After all, you know that you can't find your father by yourself... But by then, you'll have no dignity left at all. I guarantee it."
He lowered his voice and spoke beside Hughberlian.
His intention had been to humiliate Hughberlian, and now he was no longer even pretending otherwise.
"..."
Hughberlian clenched her fists, but she could only grit her teeth and remain silent.
Even though her heart was filled with anger—a deep, uncontrollable fury—she did not want to pay any attention to this bastard.
Besides, she knew very well that without even the slightest strength capable of threatening her enemy, any rebuttal or threat would be nothing but empty bluster.
Not only would it fail to frighten her opponent, it would merely make him even more pleased and encourage him to go further.
Even if Hughberlian wanted to defeat Mo Dan soundly in a duel and teach him a lesson, she could not do so.
Mo Dan, a third-year Sage Institute gold-ranked registered challenger, had long since left Hughberlian far behind in terms of strength. On top of that, she would have to waste this precious first year without being able to challenge the Shadow World.
The gap between her and Mo Dan would only grow wider.
"Looks like I was right. You don't even have the courage to resist me."
Seeing Hughberlian like this, Mo Dan seemed satisfied. He even let out an undisguised chuckle, as if he were enjoying himself.
Mo Dan's occasional laughter was not merely an insult to her. It was also a trampling of her usually noble status and dignity.
"The Duke's daughter who was once hailed as Hutton's once-in-a-century prodigy now needs to use a third-rate lawyer just to pass Iketerite Academy's Entrance Examination. How tragic."
After hearing this, Hughberlian finally seemed unable to endure it any longer. She glared viciously at Mo Dan.
"Oh? Someone's angry?"
Mo Dan narrowed his eyes. He knew Hughberlian had taken the bait. The Duke's daughter had always been able to endure other people's sharp words, but she could never tolerate anyone slandering her friends. He understood her too well.
Just as he was preparing to continue to toy with Hughberlian's state of mind through his words—
"Wait..."
A slightly drowsy voice drew their attention.
The conversation between Mo Dan and Hughberlian seemed to have woken Lanchi.
He had been terribly sleepy and had nearly fallen back asleep in his half-conscious state. But then he heard that fellow named Mo Dan apparently take a jab at him, and the nature of the matter changed.
Sleepiness still clouded Lanchi's eyes as he turned his head, resting it on his arm while staring at the two people who had been talking.
"Mo Dan... classmate? You should look through Iketerite Academy's student handbook. You shouldn't have called Hughberlian 'filth' just now. Page thirty-five, line thirteen, says that personally attacking another student violates school rules."
His offhand words echoed through the classroom, and the air fell silent amid the sudden change.
Hughberlian instinctively turned her head. Lanchi was still lying there, his expression languid, yet completely different from usual.
Mo Dan frowned as he looked at the boy murmuring with lowered eyes. His emerald-green pupils flickered faintly like gems gleaming with a ghostly light.
He had not noticed that there was someone else lying there and sleeping without a sound. He had not expected that the rumored black-haired, green-eyed rule freak would be here.
But judging from Lanchi's words, he clearly intended to interfere. Mo Dan let out a laugh.
"I did personally attack her. What are you going to do about it?"
Mo Dan's voice was as cold as a winter wind as he spoke, almost as if he were warning Lanchi about his life.
Everyone knew that school rules that only thundered without raining never brought any real punishment.
Lanchi's reminder was as childish and laughable as a little boy threatening to report someone to his parents.
At that, Lanchi finally raised his head and sat up a little straighter.
He was fairly certain now. This fellow named Mo Dan really did enjoy taunting people with his words. After just a couple of remarks, he had already started talking back.
Unfortunately, he was an amateur when it came to intelligence.
"Do you know that Hutton Kingdom has the Insult Crime, Defamation Crime, and Insulting Nobility Crime? Strictly speaking, since neither of you has formally inherited your titles yet, you cannot constitute the third crime, which carries criminal liability. At most, it would be a civil dispute. However, Miss Hughberlian's application to inherit the Duke Title must have been submitted after her father went missing. It is merely stuck in the tedious processing stage now. Once it is approved, her time of becoming a Duke will be calculated from the date of submission according to Hutton Kingdom's regulations. At that point, she will be able to pursue you for insulting her, the Duchess, with malicious personal attacks and frivolous remarks. There are so many witnesses present, so you won't escape. Whether you receive a fine or go to prison will depend on your attitude when admitting fault."
Lanchi's voice remained steady, but beneath that calmness was the majesty of an inescapable net.
After those words fell—
The classroom, which had still contained some idle chatter, seemed to freeze solid for a moment.
Every student in the classroom, whether secretly listening, curious, or simply staring, mostly looked toward the back rows.
It was common after the start of term for upperclassmen to visit new students' classrooms and chat briefly with freshmen they found interesting.
Even though Mo Dan's conduct had indeed made quite a few students in the classroom uncomfortable—Mo Dan, the Marquis Young Master, and Hughberlian, the Duke's daughter, were clearly not engaged in a normal friendly recruitment—
Mo Dan was bullying Hughberlian, after all. Complex private grudges between nobles were not something ordinary people usually dared to meddle in.
No one wanted to get involved with this ill-omened Duke's daughter, and even fewer wanted to offend an upperclassman team leader like Mo Dan, who was powerful, influential, and strong.
But now, the Sage Institute's top freshman could not stand it anymore and was going head-to-head with the Marquis Young Master!
In fact, quite a few people present understood that the crimes Lanchi had mentioned were not very threatening. At most, the matter could be resolved with an admission of fault and a fine.
The disgusting part of Lanchi's tactic was—
If he really insisted on pursuing the matter and managed to win the case against Mo Dan, leaving the dignified Marquis Young Master with a criminal record for committing an offense while at school, that humiliation would be branded onto him and become a lifelong joke in noble circles.
However—
Mo Dan Gasigas was not someone one could provoke so easily...
Even at this moment, Mo Dan remained completely unruffled. Lanchi's words had not moved him in the slightest.
After hearing Lanchi out, Mo Dan merely smiled.
"Lucky Lanchi Wilford, I know you understand a little law and enjoy 'standing up for justice.' But that little bit of cleverness won't work on me. I can turn around and sue you for Defamation Crime and disturbing the peace."
There was a smile in the corners of his narrowed eyes as he looked down on Lanchi, mocking his immaturity and foolishness.
As a noble, he clearly understood Insulting Nobility Crime better than Lanchi did.
Even if there were witnesses present, "insult" was merely Lanchi's subjective judgment. If the matter really reached court, Lanchi would have no way to objectively prove that Mo Dan had harbored a strong intent to insult him.
Although Hutton Nation had strict laws and an efficient judicial process, it was not as excessively severe as the holy nation in the Hidden Flame of Winter Shadow World.
Some crimes had always been difficult to establish unless one had the help of an absolutely overwhelming legal expert.
"I insulted her? How will you prove that to the judge? Can you read my thoughts and intentions?"
Mo Dan asked Lanchi in a highly mocking tone.
"You admitted it yourself."
Lanchi answered flatly.
"...?"
Lanchi's words clearly left everyone in the classroom stunned.
But they soon realized it.
At the very beginning, Mo Dan had indeed asked Lanchi, "I did personally attack her. What are you going to do about it?"
Oh no.
Mo Dan had been caught in Lanchi's logic.
Before you continue