Then, in a tone laced with a hint of sarcasm, Asher patted Jolan on the shoulder and replied, "Why don't you come back to me when you've got some solid evidence, or perhaps when you've managed to establish the Judgment Committee."

Hearing the name, everyone looked at Asher in shock. Typically, this committee was convened for severe infractions like maiming, rape, or killing committed by anyone and for any crime committed by the Vice-Councilor that went against the welfare of the orphanage.

The Rosewood Orphanage, despite its laid-back and luxurious facade, had its dark chapters where someone had taken undue advantage of its freedom. 

No one exactly knew the sentences meted out by the committee, but one thing was clear: those found guilty were whisked away, never to be seen again.

At Asher's words, a hushed silence fell over the crowd. But many were confused. 

Most didn't know, but as he had submitted his name to be the next Vice-Councilor, he had also included himself within the committee's jurisdiction, albeit on probationary terms. 

"Sure, If you want that," Jolan said, attempting to mask his uncertainty with bravado. Yet, he leaned closer, dropping his voice to a whisper meant only for Asher, "Do you really think Alissa will save you, trash?"

Asher's just looked at the bastard, his expression unreadable. There was nothing much to say for him; the challenge had been laid bare, and Jolan's reliance on Alissa as a threat revealed his desperation.

"Well, I guess there's nothing more to say," Jolan finally conceded, lacking any actual proof to back his accusations. He straightened up, his expression hardening as he tried to salvage some semblance of authority.

He walked toward the exit, but as he neared Asher, he started in a low voice.

"Don't be so confident. You won't have her protection for long. She'll come in line soon enough," he threatened ominously as he started to walk past Asher, aiming to leave a lingering sense of unease.

After having his threat delivered, Jolan walked away, leaving behind whispers and speculative glances from the onlookers.

But Asher was momentarily rooted in place by Jolan's whispered threat. It reminded him that Jolan wanted to r*pe Alissa in the past iteration.

'It seems my actions give him some clues that he will be losing his position in the Orphanage.'

Before Asher could formulate his plan, an unexpected interruption sliced through the tension.

"Asher, the Princess requires your presence," Elder Su's voice echoed, her figure poised at the entrance, eyes fixed on him. 

Asher noted the timing, 'She must have waited for our confrontation to conclude,' he thought, realizing that she was also waiting if her intervention was required.

'I was free till noon, so this is actually good timing,' he thought as he had some questions to ask her.

He looked and saw that Jolan had stopped in the middle of them as he was also walking out. A flash of ruthlessness entered his eyes but was quickly suppressed. 

'Yeah, why do I have to fear this guy? Even if someone was behind him, didn't he still die in the previous iteration,' Asher pondered, a spark igniting within him.

With his mind made up, Asher started walking towards Jolan and called out, hiding his intention, "Alright then, Elder Su, wait for me."

As he neared Jolan, giving him a wholesome grin, he heard him muttering. "Tch, .. that bitch is still after this trash.. " 

Hearing him talk like that solidified his plan as something snapped in Asher. He looked at Elder Su, Jolan, and the people. 

Most of them had already returned to their meals as the confrontation ended, but some were still watching.

Risking a glance at the table beside Jolan, Asher made his decision to risk it.

'I guess the councilor can send a bill to my family,' he thought as he decided to hit the bastard.

As he passed by Jolan, Asher raised his hand as if to pat Jolan's shoulder casually, saying in a seemingly friendly tone, "Jolan, yo..."

Asher can see the bastard relax slightly on his first tap.  

Seizing the moment, Asher's hand moved from a pat to a firm grip on Jolan's head, swiftly slamming it down onto the table next to them. 

Jolan attempted to use his other hand to slap it away, but he intercepted it and used his foot to trip the bastard for extra measure.

"Bangggg…!"

There was a loud sound as it echoed through the suddenly silent cafeteria. The immediate area around them froze, the shock of Asher's bold action rendering the onlookers speechless.

Asher let go of Jolan as he tried to stand up, nose bleeding, fury written all over his face. 'No point in pushing him when he is down. Right now, he has to make a statement.'

Everyone heard the noise and looked over to see Jolan standing up with a broken and bleeding nose.

Asher observed Jolan's clenched fists, a clear sign of the forthcoming retaliation. "You are so done!" Jolan snarled, his anger boiling over as he lunged at Asher with renewed fury.

But Asher was different now, not the person he had been upon waking. With a calm demeanor, he quickly sidestepped Jolan's clumsy attack and gave the bastard a kick.

As Jolan used his other foot to stabilize, Asher gave it a satisfying kick, sending the bastard sprawling to the floor.

As soon as he fell, Asher saw his chance to end this and took Jolan's hand. He grabbed Jolan's wrist, twisting it behind him while pressing a foot firmly against his back. 

Asher couldn't recall the exact technique but had seen one of his soldiers dislocating the shoulder of another in front of him.

He pulled and twisted Jolan's arm but didn't get any satisfying sound. However, Jolan's thrashing and groans made it clear that the pain was intense.

The cafeteria remained in stunned silence, witnessing the dramatic turn of events. Most of them had their mouths hanging open, and he could see several coming near to stop the fight.

Just as Asher was about to release Jolan, his eyes lost focus for a split second as a new memory came to his mind.

It was clearly something his other part of the soul had made as the visual and sensory feelings directly assimilated. It was a simple technique for dislocating an arm. 

A smirk played on his lips, grateful for the extra help.

With precision, he adjusted his grip on Jolan's arm, twisting it so that it would cleanly dislocate the shoulder. 

The primary thing was that if you don't have the necessary strength, you should use speed and apply the pressure at the last moment. 

Just a slight dislocation and rest can be carried out with the momentum.

A faint pop sound confirmed the success of his maneuver. Asher let go, stepping back to assess the situation.

'This should buy me a couple of days of peace, maybe even a month without a fight,' he mused, though he remained cautious. 

Jolan had access to some form of magical healing, but such measures were indeed rare and expensive.

At least it's costly enough that he didn't waste it on his lackeys, so he will at least feel the pinch.

Asher doubted Jolan would squander such resources on minor skirmishes, meaning he'd likely feel the aftermath of this encounter for some time.

Unable to resist, Asher delivered a final kick to the howling Jolan, ensuring he stayed down. He knocked out the screaming bastard and walked away as if he hadn't just assaulted a man in front of anyone.

Elder Su observed the entire scene, her gaze sharp and assessing. As he neared her, she just gave him a scrutinizing gaze but simply nodded.

With a subtle gesture, she indicated for him to follow her.

No one came to stop him, as right now, the boys who could fight him were in a different mess. And most of the ones here have friends and lovers and didn't want to be targeted.

 

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