It was only Bruce's assumption that the people from the Swordsmanship Hall would not act rashly. After all, they were all wealthy and well educated, so they ought to understand the rules of the game among the rich.
But there were exceptions to everything.
If the Swordsmanship Hall really had no limits, considered him insignificant, and refused to play by the rules, then Bruce would have no reason to hold back. Whether they sent people to cause trouble or suppressed him behind the scenes, he had nothing to fear.
He was no ordinary person. Swordsmanship was only the surface; his true strength lay in his innate abilities.
With Divine Might and swordsmanship complementing each other, Bruce was confident he could take someone's life outright in a one-on-one fight. With lethal weapons in hand, a single lapse in concentration during combat meant death.
It might be an unfair victory, but who would know? Who would care?
Of course, murder was against the law, and Bruce would not do that.
The Rune Kingdom offered no special exemptions to ordinary people, unless they were Extraordinaries. But even Extraordinaries could not slaughter innocents at will. Whenever a killing occurred, the Goddess of the Night Church would inevitably step in to investigate.
If the victim was an evil Fallen, the killing could be overlooked, or even rewarded.
If the victim was an ordinary person, the killer would be arrested, interrogated, and imprisoned.
So far, Bruce had always been a good, law-abiding citizen and had never done anything illegal. He would most likely remain that way, too. After all, he was not bad by nature.
Killing could not solve every problem, and its consequences were undesirable. Nor did every problem require killing to resolve it.
Dealing with the Swordsmanship Hall would be neither simple nor difficult.
One major reason the swordsmanship club had remained under their thumb was its lack of money. Its publicity and facilities were inadequate, and money could solve all of that.
Bruce had just inherited the Wayne Family's estate. He had plenty of money.
Two mornings later, Andre picked up his suitcase and boarded a carriage bound for Sokvinia.
Bruce, Lilith, and Laura stood in the street and watched Andre leave. They had no idea how things would go for him in Sokvinia, but wished him luck.
"Sorry for the trouble I'll be putting you through."
Laura looked at Bruce and spoke calmly.
Although Andre trusted Bruce, Laura did not feel so reassured. Bruce might not even be able to beat her. How was he supposed to handle the people from the Swordsmanship Hall? With nothing but his status as a landowner?
Laura did not understand the tangled interests of the rich and powerful. She came from an ordinary family.
"Don't worry. With me here, those people from the Swordsmanship Hall won't get off lightly if they try anything," Bruce promised confidently. He had faith in both his status and his abilities.
Suddenly, he noticed one or two people in the crowd furtively watching them, their gazes evasive. When he looked over, they turned away. They clearly were not decent people.
People from the Swordsmanship Hall?
Apparently, the Swordsmanship Hall had been keeping an eye on the Wind-Cutting Swordsmanship Club all along. That made sense. The headquarters in Sokvinia had summoned the heads of its local clubs, and that was no small matter. It must already have caused quite a stir throughout the Rune Kingdom.
He had no idea what the Wind-Cutting Swordsmanship Club's headquarters was planning. Somehow, it did not feel as simple as a group training session.
Now that the Swordsmanship Hall had confirmed Andre's departure, trouble would probably come soon. He wondered what methods they would use. They had better not go too far.
Bruce had brought only some everyday necessities and changes of clothes. He had left the Dark Bible at Wayne Manor, where Fawcett and Ghost could guard it. Bringing it to Andre's home would not have been safe at all.
Bruce becoming the club's assistant instructor caused little stir among the students. After all, they had seen his swordsmanship for themselves. Even so, they still preferred asking Laura for advice. She was much more pleasing to the eye.
Since nobody came to him, he devoted himself to practicing his swordsmanship. Whenever he took a break, he went downstairs to chat with Lilith.
It seemed to be a peaceful day. Standing downstairs, Bruce handled the various swords displayed in the shop and glanced toward the entrance.
A sparse stream of people passed along the street outside. Across the street, not far away, a man squatted idly, doing nothing but staring at the Wind-Cutting Swordsmanship Club. The moment his gaze met Bruce's, he looked away.
Someone was watching them, and there was certainly more than one watcher.
Andre's already gone, yet these people are still watching. What do they want?
Bruce walked to the club's entrance, but the moment he stepped outside, the watcher across the street slipped away with the passing crowd.
"He certainly left in a hurry."
Bruce shook his head. He did not mention it to Laura, not wanting it to affect her mood while she taught.
Inside a white room in a private clubhouse on Gesaite Street in Rhode Town, a young man sat in a leather chair. He had shoulder-length black hair and finely sculpted features.
His eyes were closed as he hummed an unfamiliar tune, tapping his fingers rhythmically against the armrest. His feet rested on a stool covered with a soft cushion.
Three young women in white training outfits surrounded him. One massaged his shoulders, another kneaded his legs, and the third rubbed his feet. They had pretty faces and slender figures, their curves plainly visible beneath their thin training clothes.
Knock, knock, knock... A knock sounded at the door.
The young man gave an unhurried grunt.
"Come in."
A burly man in a short blue shirt opened the door, strode inside, and bowed to the young man.
"President, we've confirmed the news. Andre from the club has indeed left. However, there's a new face at the club. From what we've learned, he's an assistant instructor Andre hired, a landowner from Lane Village."
The young man before him was the current president of the Swordsmanship Hall, renowned throughout Rhode Town, and the second young master of Rhode Town's Parker Family, Oduin Parker.
"A landowner from Lane Village."
Alduin abruptly stopped humming, a cold smile curling his lips. Andre had been quick to think of finding a landowner to back him.
You think I won't dare act just because you have a rich man backing you? You underestimate me.
No matter how capable you are, you're still just a commoner. Besides, he's only a village landowner. How much could you possibly offer to win him over? Would a mere wealthy man be willing to oppose my Parker Family for your sake?
"Then invite him over."
Alduin paid little mind to the landowner Andre had hired. Among the wealthy, profit was both the argument and the persuasion.
"Yes. I'll see to it right away."
The burly man nodded and left the room.
Inside, Alduin resumed humming his strange, unfamiliar tune.
The president said to invite that Bruce over. He seemed to put particular emphasis on "invite." In other words, I should use special methods to bring him here. I must make sure Bruce understands the Parker Family's power.
The burly man closed the door, considering this.
Yes. Invite him over.
With a vicious grin, the burly man clenched his fists, his knuckles cracking.
After the day's swordsmanship classes ended, the students left one after another. As evening approached, Bruce and the two ladies closed the club's doors and prepared to head home.
Normally, the swordsmanship club stayed open later. Even after classes ended, it could still sell swords. But with Andre gone and Laura and Bruce's swordsmanship not strong enough, staying out after dark was unsafe. They could only close up early.
On the way, Lilith pouted. "Those people from the Swordsmanship Hall didn't come to cause trouble today. How disappointing. I spent the whole day on edge."
"I was thinking that if they showed up, I'd have a perfectly good excuse to give them a beating. My brother taught me all his skills, you know."
Lilith looked thoroughly pleased with her own prowess, while Laura smiled without speaking.
But the moment Lilith finished speaking, a burly man strode over from the roadside, barged straight between the three of them, draped an arm over Bruce's shoulders, and dragged him aside.
"Buddy, let's have a word over here."