Reward

Many classmates grew increasingly astonished. They hadn't expected the usually quiet Suye to speak so logically, even exuding a demeanor that vaguely resembled a teacher's.

Some noticed that Suye seemed noticeably taller and sturdier than last semester, nothing like a mage, more like a warrior.

Hote from the side said, "Yeah, Suye's really right. We're all classmates, let's not do this."

"I think we should just drop it," Jimmy, another deskmate, said with a smile.

The lively classroom quieted down, with more students looking over.

Horton's face changed. He reached out and shoved Suye hard. Suye stumbled backward, quickly grabbing the desk to steady himself, nearly tipping over and hitting his head.

Horton roared angrily, "What's your problem? I was just joking with you, and you make it sound so serious! If you can't take a joke, don't play!"

"I never wanted to play with you in the first place." Suye's tone remained gentle.

"Are you provoking me?" Horton stepped forward, using his height to loom over Suye, glaring down viciously.

Between them lay a bench.

Suye patted his robe, turned to look at Hote beside him, and gave a gentle smile. "I have a bit of trouble. Can you watch my back? No need to fight."

Many classmates' expressions shifted slightly. "Watch my back" was a term among soldiers for fighting side by side. Though Suye said Hote didn't need to act, it meant Suye might strike.

Hote stood up, pushing his bench aside with his foot.

His over-two-meter-tall frame rose like a Little Giant, his years of training giving him a thick, powerful build that radiated pressure.

"I won't expose my partner's back to the enemy," Hote replied seriously.

Hote had an excellent reputation at school, never stirring up trouble. But whenever classmates clashed with warriors from other academies in private contests like wrestling, arm wrestling, or boxing, he never hesitated to join.

"Thank You, Hote." Suye turned back to face Horton, a smile on his face. "I don't like being called Three Idiots, and I don't like being called Second Idiot. So, I hope you'll publicly promise to stop calling me Three Idiots or any other nickname, and treat me like an ordinary classmate."

"You're still provoking me!" Horton's face grew colder.

"No." Suye answered seriously.

Horton's expression softened. "Good! It's my freedom to call whoever whatever I want. You can't control that!"

"Are you sure?" Suye asked.

Horton sneered, "What, you want to fight? Think carefully. As long as you don't use magic or divine power, and don't use weapons, the academy doesn't ban private fights. Back then, I beat Pelius into what he became..."

Before Horton could finish, Suye suddenly swung his Right Arm, his fist slamming hard into Horton's nose.

Caught off guard, Horton screamed, stumbling backward until his back hit the wall.

Blood splattered everywhere.

Suye leaped forward, weaving between Horton's two deskmates, and swiftly threw an uppercut, driving it deep into Horton's stomach.

"Ugh..." Horton doubled over like a Sea Shrimp, dry heaving from the intense pain in his gut.

Horton's two deskmates moved to intervene, but Hote placed a hand on each of their shoulders.

"This is between the two of them."

The two winced, enduring the pain in their shoulders, not daring to move.

Horton clutched his bleeding nose, tears streaming from the pain, cursing incoherently.

Suye grabbed Horton's chin and pressed his head against the wall, staring calmly into his eyes. "My 'no' meant you're not worthy of my provocation."

"You're asking for death... ah..."

Suye drove his knee hard into Horton's stomach.

Horton, one hand on his nose and the other on his belly, slumped sideways to the floor, letting out continuous low groans of pain.

The classmates were stunned. Such fights were common, but how could the usually quiet kid beat Horton? Suye looked down at Horton from above, speaking calmly. "My grades are bad, I admit that. But if I study hard, with better methods, I can improve. You, though? Bullying classmates, forcing them to drop out, ruining lives. If you don't admit your mistake, your baseness and wrongs will sink into your bones, turning into sin you'll carry for life. Tell me, you were wrong."

"No!" Horton shouted.

"Tell me." Suye's voice grew even calmer as he slowly raised his foot over Horton's face.

On the ground, Horton clenched his teeth, but seeing Suye's Ice Cold gaze, he suddenly remembered soldiers who had killed, and his body trembled. "I was wrong. I won't call you Three Idiots anymore! Never again."

"Say it again."

"I was wrong. I won't call you by that nickname anymore. Never again."

"Suye." Lake quietly reminded him.

Suye glanced at Lake and nodded, signaling he wouldn't escalate things in the classroom.

Suye put on a smile, bent down, and extended his hand to Horton. "Good. I hope from today on, our misunderstanding is cleared, and we remain friendly classmates."

Horton stared at Suye for a long moment, then nodded and took his hand, letting Suye pull him up.

Suye patted Horton's shoulder. "Go find a teacher to treat that. In a few days, when you're better, I'll treat you to a meal at Dolphin River."

Horton nodded and walked out with his two deskmates.

Many classmates breathed a sigh of relief. Since Suye mentioned treating him to a meal, it meant they wouldn't become enemies. Mentioning Dolphin River, the best place in the non-aristocratic district, was probably just talk—Suye couldn't afford a place like that.

The classroom soon grew lively again. A few students secretly observed Suye, finding him vastly different from last semester.

Suye leaned against the wall, his emotions slowly settling.

He felt helpless, never expecting to run into one thing after another since arriving here.

A shadow fell over him.

Suye turned his head and found Hote standing beside him with a beaming smile.

"Good one!" Hote said, giving Suye's shoulder a light tap with his fist.

Suye said, "Thank you."

"Didn't think you'd actually make a move, and so viciously at that," Hote said.

Suye shrugged. "Just didn't want to keep rewarding him."

"Rewarding?" Hote looked at Suye, puzzled.

The Blue-Eyed Girl, who had been watching Suye all along, sat with her back to the two of them, tilting her ear slightly to listen.

Suye realized he had let slip something he shouldn't have. There was no way he could explain the concepts of cues, habitual behavior, reward loops, and the basal ganglia right now.

Suye smiled and said, "If I remember right, you seem to like honey."

"Yeah! I love honey." The simple-minded Hote grinned happily.

"Why?"

"It's sweet!"

The two-meter-one giant talking about sweetness was like a kid weighing over two hundred jin.

Suye chuckled. "That sweetness is the 'reward' for eating honey. You like the reward, so you want to eat more. The more you eat, the more reward you get, and the more you want to eat. Think about it—doesn't that make sense?"

"It really does." Hote nodded vigorously.