Chapter 310: Eli will fight against Kayden again...?
"...." Lucian's hand trembled with pain as he stared at the commoner who dared to touch him with his filthy hand.
The mere thought that a filth, like Asher Eli, would lay hands on him fueled the fires of fury within Lucian.
If not for the watchful eyes of the people and the presence of the Vampire Queen.... Lucian was confident he would have killed Asher Eli a thousand times over.
Yet, as Lucian observed Asher Eli's reddish-black eyes, a strange sensation engulfed him, making him feel momentarily dizzy as if he were being drawn into an abyss.
Suddenly, Eli's eyes returned to their normal ruby-red hue, causing Lucian to blink in momentary confusion before Eli released his grip on Lucian's hand.
Eli, too, blankly stared at his hands, battling against the surge of emotions threatening to surface, 'Not this again...' he thought, quelling the emotions that stirred within him, emotions he knew but deliberately chose to ignore.
Lucian, recovering from the strange encounter, focused on the hand where Eli's grip had left its mark on his forearm. The anger within him trembled, ready to erupt, but with a calculated calmness befitting a responsible king, he chuckled and quipped,
"Heheh... It seems someone was jealous of another man 'TOUCHING' his master"
The emphasis on 'touching' left the arena for various interpretations among the onlookers.
"Well, Asher Eli, don't worry....
I won't steal your master. She was already STOLEN by someone, and we all don't know who... and she even gave birth to his child" Lucian said with a slight smile, casting a meaningful glance at the Vampire Queen.
Vampire Queen maintained her composed demeanour, looking at Lucian with a neutral expression she asked, "Are you going to keep on rambling?"
Lucian, in turn, directed his attention back to the situation at hand.
"Of course not, Vampire Queen....
What we need is a simple duel... no, a simple test" Lucian declared, pulling Carter to his side, leaving Carter visibly bewildered by the sudden closeness.
"A test?" Vampire Queen frowned.
"Yes, a simple test to check.... whether Asher Eli truly won against Kayden," Lucian explained, smiling as he addressed the gathered crowd. He then shouted,
"A simple race to test the worthiness of Asher Eli!
A straightforward 1000-lap running race against Carter Theo's son.
No fight, no bloodshed, no cries and fear... just a simple, soft race."
"What makes you think it tests his 'worth,' as you are talking about?" The Vampire Queen wore a sceptical expression.
"Of course, because the test is purely skill-based. If he manages to defeat Carter's son, then I am sure he is more worthy than anyone," Lucian asserted with a profound expression.
Vampire Queen frowned upon hearing Lucian's words.... she was about to interject when Eli stepped forward, placing his hand on her shoulder.
"First of all, Why would I agree with you?" Eli's voice carried a hint of challenge as he boldly asserted himself, emphasizing his reluctance to comply with Lucian's proposal.
'!!!' Adriana's eyes widened, her surprise evident as Eli casually touched her in front of everyone.
However, the grip was not gentle; if they were mortals, her shoulder would have already shattered into pieces.
"Hehehe..." Scarlett couldn't help but giggle at the display of her brot-- now husband's jealousy. Even Lilith smirked, finding amusement in her husband's protective actions.
Lucian, too, furrowed his brows at Eli's assertive move. Unlike his father and grandfather, he harboured a clear disdain for the Fallen People, so even a beauty like Adriana didn't come into his taste... but he maintained a composed exterior.
Nevertheless, he couldn't conceal his displeasure. With a nonchalant shrug, he remarked,
"If you don't want to, then fine, but..." Lucian glanced at Vampire Queen and declared, "Due to Vampire Queen's interference, the duel was null and void."
Carter couldn't suppress a smirk at Lucian's statement. Even though he felt a tinge of inferiority, Lucian's support provided a welcomed boost.
Carter was called the wiser king in his kingdom while Lucian was different he was wiser than any current King in the Sapien Kingdom.
"Null and void?... Ahahahah," Eli burst into laughter, his amusement sending a shiver down everyone's spine.
The echoing laughter carried unsettling emotions over the arena.
After managing to stifle his laughter, Eli exclaimed,
"Come on now! I was fighting that 'thing' with all my efforts, endured countless wounds, and in the end, it was all null and void... Hahahahaha... That. is. really.
a. funny. joke, Lucian. Dawn"
Eli locked eyes with Lucian, his gaze unwavering, and a hint of.... mockery? apparent as he inquired,
"Are you the Head Master of this academy?"
"..." Lucian maintained a stoic silence, his demeanour refusing to betray any emotion.
"Nope?... Then are you a Vice-Head Master?" Eli continued, undeterred.
"..."
"Nope?... Then are you a Council Member?"
"..."
"Nope?... Then are you a professor?"
"..."
"Nope?.... Then are you at least a janitor... who cleans the toilet?"
"THAT'S ENOUGH, BRAT!!!!" Lucian's sudden outburst was accompanied by an ominous glow, a palpable intent to kill permeating the air.
That was too much!!
However, Eli remained unfazed. Calmly, he took his hand off Adriana's shoulder and began to walk towards Lucian.
However,
The Head Master, with remarkable swiftness, appeared between the two confronting figures, acting as a mediator and urging them to calm down.
Addressing Lucian with indifferent eyes, he stated, "I am sorry, King Lucian, but I am the one who decides whether the duel is valid or not."
Lucian, seemingly appeased by the Head Master's intervention, snapped out of his anger. He turned his attention back to the Head Master, and his earlier composed smile returned.
"Of course, you are the one who decides that, Head Master. But what I am saying is, due to Vampire Queen's interference, we cannot assess whether Asher Eli truly defeated Kayden!... that's all" Lucian shifted his gaze to Asher Eli while maintaining the same smile.
Eli couldn't help but think, 'He is changing his colour too fast!!'
"All you need to do is race against Carter Theo's son to prove you truly won against Kayden..." Lucian then turned to address the people gathered.
"People also think the same; it's just a small race to prove you can truly defeat Kayden, right, everyone?"
"YES!!!"
Hearing the unanimous agreement, Eli couldn't help but twitch his lips in mild annoyance. He pondered that he desired recognition, but he wasn't too interested in delving into whatever scheme Lucian had in mind.
So what if other people doubted him and questioned his skills?
Eli couldn't care less about these sycophantic individuals. With that decision in mind, he was about to decline when,
"I am not int--"
"Head Master!! The council members issued an important notice!!" Came an urgent interruption.
Lucian silently smirked, revelling in the unfolding events.
Eli, with blank eyes, turned his attention to the informer, who happened to be none other than the Vice-Head Master. Descending before the Head Master, the Vice-Head Master bowed slightly before presenting a document.
As Head Master perused the document, his expression turned slightly sour before shifting to an awkward face as he looked at Eli.
Addressing the gathered audience, Head Master declared,
"The duel between Asher Eli and Kayden is Null and Void!!!"
"..." A heavy silence fell upon the arena before the crowd erupted in cheers from the supporters of Theos.
"Yaay!!"
"See that bastard!!"
"Justice will always prevail in the end!!"
'This is the third time....' Eli mumbled silently, frustration evident in his thoughts. This was the third time that Council members disturbed Eli.
"...." Adriana's gaze shifted between Lucian and the Vice-Head Master.
[Can I kill them, Adriana?]
Lilith sent a telepathic message.
Adriana's lips twitched in response.
[You do know that all this happened because of your interference, right?]
[....]
Receiving no reply from Lilith, Adriana redirected her attention to Eli, who also locked eyes with her. A silent communication passed between them.
"Oh! Oh! Are you guys speaking through eyes?" Lucian remarked with a teasing smile.
"Yes," Eli replied.
"Eli will fight against Kayden again," Vampire Queen asserted with determination.
Carter couldn't help but smile, a wave of relief washing over him at the prospect that his son had managed to escape further torment. However,
"No, No, No..." Lucian waved his hands dismissively, a smirk playing on his lips. "There's no way Kayden can muster the strength to fight again after enduring such torture. Healing from the wounds inflicted by the EMPEROR'S attack will undoubtedly take some time."
"..." Adriana's gaze shifted between Lucian and Eli, catching the subtle exchange of nods that conveyed their shared understanding.
Observing the silent communication between the two, onlookers couldn't help but feel a mix of worry and envy towards Eli.
"Okay, A race against Carter's son, 100 laps" Vampire Queen suggested, her tone unyielding.
"Thous--"
"Hundred!"
Lucian's lips twitched, a subtle acknowledgement of the unwavering stubbornness displayed by Vampire Queen.
'There goes my juicy dinner...ah' Eli sighed inwardly thinking he might not punish Adriana tonight.
'Well, whatever...' Lucian nodded, nonchalant about the laps as long as his plan worked. He turned his attention to Carter, who appeared baffled by the sudden turn of events but quickly regained his composure. With a solemn expression, Carter spoke,
"I, Carter Theo, King of Theos Kingdom, seek permission for the 100-lap, 1000 KM race between my son, King Theo, and Vampire Queen Adriana, Queen of the Fallen Continent's disciple, Asher Eli."
Carter took a red card and displayed it before Vampire Queen.
Eli raised his eyebrows in curiosity, prompting the Head Master to inform him,
"If a dispute arises between nations and both parties wish to resolve it without opting for war, they can use the duelling system in the Nex.... However, it is only applicable to Kings and Queens of the nations, and.... the Head Master's permission is required."
"Hmm.." Eli nodded, understanding the context, and patiently awaited Adriana to finalize her pact.
Vampire Queen took a few moments to contemplate, her gaze eventually settling on Lucian, who suddenly felt a twinge of uneasiness. As her piercing eyes met him, Lucian couldn't shake off the sensation that something was amiss.
After a brief moment, Vampire Queen shifted her attention to her Maid, who promptly brought forth a red card, presenting it before Carter. With an air of authority, Vampire Queen declared,
"I, Adriana, Queen of the Fallen Continent, agree to the race only upon the condition...
Hand Over the Luna Dawn to Asher Eli. Luna Dawn belongs to Asher Eli!! So no one questions her virginity.....right? and Do no say Asher Eli assaulted her any more."
"...."
Everything froze for a second.
Eli frowned upon hearing that, but before he could voice his concerns or attempt to intervene, he received a telepathic message from Adriana,
[It's for the best, Eli]
Eli, taken aback, thought,
'What do you mean? Best? Treating a woman like an object?' His expression turned blank as he grappled with conflicting emotions.
He detested the idea of anyone, especially a woman, being treated as an object. It reminded him of his irritation when Carter treated Kitty Anna similarly. Now, it seemed Adriana was also similarly doing that...
[....Trust me]
Adriana urged through the telepathic link.
Eli fixed his gaze on the woman who had experienced more than he could fathom in his relatively short existence. Though he acknowledged that he was like a mere bug compared to the scheming emperors surrounding him.... Still, the idea of treating others as objects stirred discomfort within him.
Nah! he was feeling this due to Luna otherwise why the fuck he would care!! He follows his principles and everything but he would never force his principles on others.
'Grrrr' Eli gritted his teeth in frustration.
"I Agree!"
To everyone's surprise, Lucian unexpectedly agreed to Vampire Queen's condition.
"WHAT!!!" A shocked cry echoed in the arena.
Ignoring the woman's outcry, Carter smiled triumphantly. He looked at the Head Master, who shook his head disapprovingly. Placing a red card between the two red cards held by Vampire Queen and Carter Theo, Head Master declared,
"I, Alden Evergreen, The Head Master of Nex Academia, Accept the race."
"Ssshhh."
A white light emerged from the ground, enveloping the three red cards and symbolizing the official approval for the 100-lap race.
The unexpected turn of events left the audience bewildered, their eyes darting between Luna Dawn and Asher Eli as the consequences of Lucian's agreement began to unfold.
"Why Bastard!!" Luna Dawn growled in anger.