Upon hearing Adam's urging tone, Nova's eyes slipped to the side, and her tender cheeks puffed.
After living for five months in the academy, she prided herself on her social skills. No one ever chased her away as she genuinely approached others with kind intentions, and she believed they could feel it. So, what was wrong with Adam's reaction?
She hesitated for a few moments before returning to the group, pouting at the thought of being restricted without understanding the reason.
However, before she could reach them, one of the ladies grabbed her forearm, causing her to halt her steps and frown.
"Now that you're with us, why not stay?" The woman's black dress fluttered as she spoke. Her smirk, eyes glinting with envy, and the pressure she applied on Nova's arm alerted her.
However, the lady wasn't over speaking.
"Don't worry, we have many things to discuss. For example, how you take care of your hair. I've never seen such beautiful ones before. Or how you train your voice to make it sound so enchanting."
The more she spoke, the more Nova noticed her smirk broaden and... darkness dance in her eyes. Even without understanding the situation, she knew she was in danger.
Meanwhile, Adam looked at the nodding lady's friends and the sinister smile stretching their lips. He drew a deep breath, feeling trouble brewing on the horizon. "Arun, make those harpies shut up," he said, unwilling to cause a commotion in this grand place.
He didn't need to think much to understand what would happen next. The ladies knew Nova was not of noble background. Yet, despite her origins, her skin was fairer, her hair smoother, and her voice unrivalled. What would happen in an aristocratic society where the weak could only tremble, praying for the strong's mercy?
An icy shiver ran down his spine as he thought about the answer. They would rip her hair, skin her, and cut her tongue. All because of the worst emotion in human nature: envy.
Upon reaching this thought, the beautiful ladies' images reflected in his luminous eyes morphed. Their hair became snakes, their skin cracked, and their posture shifted, giving them a grotesque appearance. 'That's how they should look like with how rotten they are,' he thought, his upper lips raised in disgust.
In the meantime, Arun's warm demeanor shifted in a split second. Gone was the caring boy, replaced by the definition of a noble's arrogance. Yet, contrary to most, his lean but powerful physic emphasised the slightly oppressive feeling he exuded, giving him an air of royalty.
The sound of his elegant boots echoed as his eyes narrowed into slits. Wisps of fiery red mana danced around them, occasionally taking a bluish hue as he reached the ladies.
"How arrogant are you to dare touch my friend?"
His icy voice reverberated in their ears, and their sickening smiles froze as they gazed at the young foreign boy. Then, they caught his family's emblem embroidered on his chest, frowning at its intricacy. Yet, they didn't show any sign of fear in the face of his threatening presence.
"Where do you come from?" One asked, squinting menacingly. If he didn't come from at least a count's family, she would play with him a little before executing the senseless fool who dared to threaten a local noble in her capital!
"Arun Aurelium. The only heir of the noble Aurelium duchy in the Agnivana kingdom."
A terrified grimace distorted the ladies' features as the sneering boy's words settled in their minds. Dukes and their family were untouchable. It was a rule everyone knew. This rank was usually inherited by side branches of the royal family or incredibly meritorious subjects who single-handedly saved the country or achieved similar feats.
Thus, going against a duke was no different from disrespecting the royals.
However, the situation didn't reach this point. The one holding Nova released her grip as her face softened, and her smirk turned into a radiant smile. "I'm sorry if we created a misunderstanding," she said, moving her left foot behind the other and curtsying elegantly.
Her eyes brightened as she raised her head for the next second, offering him a meaningful wink. "If you fancy, you can accompany us to the auction."
The noblewoman's sudden transformation was like a serpent shedding its skin, revealing a new, more alluring facade.
"Truly disgusting." Adam spat, realising their aim. With Arun's rank, he transformed into a golden fish in their eyes. He was elegant and promised to reach his country's highest strata. With their horrible character, of course, they would try to abuse his young age, seducing him without shame.
Despite his understanding, he smirked. After all, he mentored Arun for almost a year and would be disappointed if the boy didn't learn his taunting skills!
"You're right." Arun nodded, his expression one of realisation.
Elated by his agreement, the leading lady's mind raced as she planned her next steps.
However, her features crumbled when Arun continued.
"Ones as beautiful as my fiancé or Nova, not ugly duckling like the three of you!" He exclaimed, his voice attracting other noble's attention as he publicly shamed those envious hypocrites.
The surrounding aristocrats whispered derogatory terms, looking at the ladies in contempt as they understood the gist of the situation in a second.
Yet, Adam knew morals didn't motivate their reactions. Instead, they enjoyed revelling in their superiority complex, gloating at those they deemed inferior. Adam's eyes scanned the crowd, noting the self-satisfied smirks. These people thrived on scandal and schadenfreude, their moral compass skewed by their insatiable need to assert dominance.
Arun's boldness had turned the tables, but the true victory lay in exposing the rotten core of this society.
'This is not aristocracy,' he thought, clenching his trembling fists. 'It's an oligarchy, where those in power do whatever they want unpunished.' The realisation hit him like a hammer, shattering his idealised image of society.
For a moment, he allowed himself to imagine what could be done to fix the situation. Reform, justice, accountability? But a moment later, he shook his head, a wry smile tugging at his lips.
'Why do I care? I'm not a king and don't want to be one, anyway.'