I Was The Weakest Beast Tamer

5. My Annoying Brother

The morning air was still chilly when Evren left the Orchid Pavilion without wearing a coat.

[Hey, Human. Don't forget that your body is still vulnerable if a bunch of cultivators gang up on you.]

"I'm not planning to pick fights with anyone."

An hour later, the grand gates of Therya Academy, engraved with the emblem of a sword and shield, came into view.

In the front courtyard, luxurious horse-drawn carriages belonging to noble families stood neatly in rows. But the moment Evren stepped through the main gates, mocking remarks, disdainful looks, and muffled laughter came at him from every direction.

[That black-haired human smells like dust,] grumbled a Fire Falcon perched on a noble girl's shoulder.

[Has this academy fallen so far that even a human without a Beast can get in?] sneered a Red Rabbit from inside a noble's transparent carrier.

"Even their pets are insulting me. Interesting," Evren muttered with a faint smile.

"Well, well. Look who wandered in."

A young man with a loud voice stepped into Evren's path. It was Julian Arsen, Evren's distant cousin from one of the Tristan family's branch families. Julian had always resented Evren's status as the Duke's son.

Julian crossed his arms over his chest, looking at Evren with a wide smirk.

"I heard you got kicked out of the main residence."

The other students stopped walking, forming a small circle to watch the morning drama unfold.

Evren stopped in his tracks.

"Oh, hey, Julian," Evren greeted him. "Still having trouble with that Iron Bear of yours? You really suck at handling it, huh?"

"W-what?!" Julian snorted angrily. "I'm still better than someone who can't tame a single Beast!"

Evren rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, yeah. Now, can you move? You're blocking my way."

"You think you can survive at this academy just because you have the Tristan name?"

Evren stepped closer to Julian. "You know, there's something I've always wondered whenever I see you."

Julian instinctively took a step back. "W-what?"

"Why does your breath smell worse than a Beast's stable every time you open your mouth?"

The academy courtyard instantly fell silent. Julian's face turned bright red.

"H-how dare you insult me?!" Julian growled. He immediately channeled spiritual energy into his palm. "You think I won't beat you up right here?!"

[Oho! Now this is a good show!]

Nox cheered enthusiastically inside Evren's head.

[Smash his face in! I want to see if that brat can still smile after losing a few teeth!]

'Hold on, Nox,' Evren thought, his eyes shifting toward Julian's seal circle, which had begun to crackle with unstable energy.

Evren took a step forward. "You could hurt someone with that unstable energy of yours. Can your generous uncle afford to pay for the damages?"

"You...!" Julian raised his hand, ready to unleash a blast of spiritual energy straight at Evren's chest.

"What's going on here? Making a scene at the main gates this early in the morning?"

A cold voice cut through the crowd.

The students immediately stepped aside and bowed respectfully when they saw who had arrived.

Lucien Tristan calmly approached the gathering.

Julian immediately withdrew the seal circle from his hand and forced a smile. "Young Master Lucien... We were just... welcoming your little brother."

Lucien ignored Julian and walked straight up to Evren.

"You actually came to the academy after failing to tame even one Beast?" Lucien whispered sharply. "Have you lost your mind?"

Evren raised an eyebrow. "Father already paid my tuition in full."

Lucien glanced briefly at the students watching them, then leaned closer and whispered again, "Why didn't you just stay home? Or go have fun in town? Therya Academy isn't a place for someone like you. Do you actually enjoy embarrassing yourself?"

Nox let out an amused snort.

[Your brother really is annoying.]

"Thanks for your concern, Brother," Evren replied quietly.

Lucien's eyebrow twitched. He looked as though he wanted to say something else, but several students had started whispering and glancing in their direction.

A moment later, a friendly smile spread across his face.

Several girls in the crowd blushed at the sight of his smile. Lucien then gave Evren a rather hard pat on the shoulder.

"Ah, Evren! Glad to see you still decided to come to the academy, even though you haven't made any progress in your cultivation," Lucien said loudly.

He turned toward the other students.

"My little brother has always been stubborn. But as a member of the Tristan family, at least he doesn't give up easily. Isn't that right?"

The students who had been mocking Evren earlier fell silent, then hurriedly nodded awkwardly. Julian even bowed deeply to hide his embarrassment.

Lucien lowered his head slightly toward Evren again and whispered through clenched teeth, "The opening ceremony is about to start. If you cause any more trouble today, I'll personally drag you home in iron chains."

Just as those words left Lucien's mouth, Evren's gaze suddenly went blank.

The world around him dimmed.

A young boy stood before him. His hair and face looked incredibly familiar, but his body was much smaller.

'Oh? Lucien?'

His older brother stood with his head lowered, tears welling in his eyes as he struggled to hold back his sobs.

"Never let Evren become a Beast Tamer, no matter what happens, Lucien."

Young Lucien shook his head, tears streaming down his cheeks as someone gripped both his shoulders tightly.

"But, Mother—"

"Make him hate Beasts if you have to. Whatever happens, don't let him follow that path."

Evren's consciousness snapped back to the present.

His breathing quickened for a moment, and cold sweat broke out along his temples.

Evren looked up, staring straight at his older brother, who was still standing in front of him.

"Hurry up and get inside, idiot."

Lucien flashed another sweet smile before turning around and heading toward the academy's grand hall.

Evren let out a quiet sigh and straightened his uniform collar, which had shifted slightly from his brother's earlier pat.

"Nox."

[Yeah?]

"How many people's memories did you take?"

[Hm? Only your mother's.]

Evren frowned slightly.

"Oh... Nox." Evren sighed. "Should I just let my brother get split in half?"

[Brilliant idea, Human! Tell him to stop acting like a nagging mother hen before I rip his throat out from the inside myself!]

"Unfortunately, now I know why he's so annoying," Evren muttered, watching Lucien walk away.