"It's a good thing you've decided to change yourself for the better. Your change is certainly praiseworthy. But your knowledge is lacking in certain aspects"

"I'll do my best sir"

"You could do it if you try so why did you avoid lessons? It's not good to play around and tarnish your family name. You've a good head, I praise you for that but your behavior is unacceptable. You'll need to work a lot harder to catch up with the others"

"I understand ma'am"

"I'm a generous person so I'll give you a chance. From now on fix your attitude and learn to show some respect. In the academy grounds, every single person is equal. You're not the only noble around here" 

"Yes, professor" 

Luke was lectured by all the professors for an entire day. 

They always wanted to see him face to face and would scold him for every little thing. In all that, he clenched his teeth and endured the shame. 

'I guess it's a karma' 

Half of the professors were people he had never even heard of yet they were all eager to give him an 'advice'.

He hoped that they'd stop starting from tomorrow. 

Grabbing his bag, Luke walked towards his secret spot, where he could eat in peace. 

"Hey Luke!"

But fate seems to have no intention of letting him take a breather for even one second. 

"Nate.."

It was his self-proclaimed rival, Nate Winters from another high ranking family waiting for him with his sidekicks. 

"We've a score to settle, don't we?"

The way he tried to appear cool with several students behind him backing him up looked cute to Luke. 

"Ah, did you come here to get revenge on that one time I broke your nose? Or the other day I smashed a vase? If not, do you mean that one time where I dug your head into the toilet-"

"Shut up! Today, I'll get revenge for all of that! I also heard about the deal you made with the principal!" 

The boy screamed, pointing his fingers at furiously. Luke feigned ignorance.

"What deal?" 

"Don't play dumb. Everyone in the academy knows!. You made a deal that if you fight once more, you'll get expelled didn't you? 

"..."

Luke stared at them in silence for a moment then, he smiled. 

"So you want to fight with me?" 

His low tone of voice and smile was the same ones he uses when beating people up. Nate, affected by his past trauma unconsciously took one step back. 

"I may end up expelled but you might end up getting crippled. Is that okay with you?"

"I.. I'm not fighting.."

"Ho, then you're letting your friends over there to fight and take the blame? They'll also end up in an even worse state. Is that okay with you?"

"...T-That's..."

The desire to fight has been completely replaced by fear. Without his orders the students around him also couldn't attack carelessly. 

As Luke said, they were afraid of taking the blame. 

"Nate Winters" Luke gently put his hand on the biy's shoulder which was shaking like a leaf. "You better bring along some guards with you when you leave the academy. I heard it's dangerous to walk alone this day. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

"Yes.."

"Be careful, Nate Winters"

Luke patted his shoulder as if to shook off the dust then turned around. 

'There're many other places where I can get you'

That was what Luke wanted to instill into people's mind. 

A threat this baseless cannot work on normal people in the first place but if that person has suffered his wrath before, it's a whole different story. 

'Idiots like him might come for revenge. I need to stay in hiding'

A pair of black eyes watched him walk away. 

Just a few minutes earlier she came out to have a lunch outside with her friends. 

"Hey Loraine, isn't that your brother?"

She didn't notice her brother until one of her friends pointed out. Just when she about to scold her friend for addressing 'Luke' as her brother, she saw it. 

Group of boys were surrounding Luke. 

It was hard to see clearly as they were standing far away. But they certainly didn't look like Luke's friends. 

She briefly saw him talking to one of the boys then walk away. Fortunately it wasn't a fight. 

'Don't dig your nose into my business'

"Right, it's none of my business" 

Even if he was being bullied, it is still not her concern since they're not siblings. 

Not anymore. 

*****

The chicken made by the chef was delicious. Out of all the people in the mansion, Luke liked the chef the most because he seems like the only competent staff out there. 

'Next time let's ask for more'

"Ackk.. damn, it still hurts so much" 

It was a real test to climb the tree but sitting on a branch was even more challenging. His entire body hurted all over.

'I should've just drank more potion'

Forget about effectiveness, feeling sore all over his body wasn't very pleasant. 

While he was massaging his stiff shoulder, the bell rang. Thankfully the window on the second floor was open so Luke smoothly jumped through the window to get to his next class faster.

"The next is history.."

It was a subject he was confident at. 

When he was young, his mother used to bombard him with lessons all the time. He even finished all the middle school material when he was 9. But his mother who loved to compare him to his older brother still found it lacking. 

Most of his childhood was just him studying in the corner of his room. Out of all those useless knowledge, Luke found history to be more bearable.

When he entered the classroom, in the corner of his eyes, he saw a familiar trio sitting in the front. 

A trio that is always together in all banquets and everyday life. 

The fifth prince Theodore, the priest apprentice Helen and Lisa Hart.

Duke Hart is the fifth prince's most royal supporter. It was natural for Lisa to hang out with the prince but for some reason the priest apprentice Helen, who has neither power nor status also follow them around too. 

And as always Luke distanced himself from them. 

Being seen with the third prince isn't a good thing. The Alaistar household has tried their best to keep their neutrality for a long time. If he as much as talks to them, he'll be in trouble.

'I'm glad I wasn't born as some kind of prince' 

The emperor has seven children. Those poor prince and princesses were struggling for the throne ever since they were born. It was even more bloody than fighting for the Marquis position.

"Hey Luke!"

The disgusting shout that sounded like screeching of some animal echoed throughout the lecture hall. 

The boy, who was trying to stay invisible in the prince's eye instantly facepalmed. 

"What do you want, Miss number two?"

Number two was a nickname given to Lisa by the nobles. Because whenever she does something, she never comes out first, be it grades or swordsmanship. 

No one dares to call her that openly, except from Luke who doesn't care about getting on her bad side. 

After all he's on everyone's bad side. 

"You.. Don't you remember what you did to me earlier?" 

"If you're going to blame me for your bad grades then just stop it" 

Seriously, she wasn't even a child. This type of arguments used to occur a lot when he was young but now, it was just embarassing. 

"I didn't get bad grades! It's because you called me a fly that-" 

"Sorry, I was wrong"

"...."

"Is that enough? Then I need to prepare for my lesson"

Not only Lisa but everyone who heard him was speechless.

'Luke Alaistar apologized!'

It was a rare occurrence, enough to make it to the newspaper headlines. 

Even the professor, who was about to enter the class paused for a moment.

During lunch, every professor spoke about how the delinquent noble, Luke has completely became a new person. At first he couldn't believe it but it seems like they were right. 

As an educator, he must help a student get on the right path.

"Everyone, today we will review what we've learned until now"

Just for Luke's sake, the professor explained the things they've learned in details. He watched Luke note down everything and smiled satisfactorily. 

Aside from the professor there were another two people who were watching the blonde haired boy with great interest. 

"Lisa, if you are acquainted with him, can you introduce him to me?" 

The fifth prince asked with great interest.