The Last Archmage Reborn as the Forgotten Heir

Chapter 09

Ryan held back a smile behind his mask of deep concern. "Big Bro, if there's really a problem, we can talk it over calmly."

Olivia chimed in with a soft nod, tears still hanging at the corners of her eyes. "Yeah, Kaelan... I really want to explain."

Kaelan looked at both of them in turn. That gaze was so tranquil that it made Ryan even more uneasy. "I have nothing to talk about with you two."

He stepped past Ryan. Scarcely two steps later, a shoulder slammed intentionally into his body. Thump.

Kaelan stopped. Standing before him was Dylan Brooks alongside two of his friends, Mason Reed and Carter Hayes, all three wearing mocking smiles. "Well, well... look who decided to be brave," Dylan sneered, lightly patting Kaelan's chest. "I hear you're acting tough with Olivia now."

Mason laughed. "And just yesterday he was like a dog following her everywhere."

A few students began forming a small circle, well-accustomed to seeing Kaelan as the target of mockery. Ryan made no move to stop them; instead, he stood beside Olivia, pretending to try and gently mediate, "Dylan, don't." But his eyes signaled something completely different: Continue.

Dylan caught the meaning instantly. He shoved Kaelan's chest again. "Guessing last night wasn't enough to knock some sense into you." The second push came harder, causing Kaelan's body to shift half a step, yet he still stood firmly upright.

Dylan smirked. "What's the matter? Scared?"

Kaelan looked down at Dylan's hand still resting against his chest. "Let go."

"Huh? Let go of what?"

That flat tone sent Dylan roaring into laughter. "Hear that? The loser's telling me to let go."

Mason stepped forward as well. "Come on, hit him again."

Carter crossed his arms. "Show him where he belongs."

Kaelan let out a quiet breath. To an Archmage, their threats didn't even measure up to the lowest-tier monsters in Arcana. But he couldn't afford to draw attention, not yet.

Dylan raised his fist. "Don't go crying this time."

Right as that punch hurled forward, Kaelan's index finger twitched slightly inside his hoodie pocket. A tiny wind rune formed for a split second, invisible, noiseless.

Whoosh...

A subtle gust of wind swirled around Dylan's feet. Dylan's eyes widened. "Huh?" His footing suddenly slipped.

Bam! His body lurched forward, slamming straight into Mason.

"AARGH!" Mason lost his balance and crashed into Carter. The three of them tumbled down in a pile onto the campus floor, while their bags and books scattered everywhere.

The atmosphere fell dead silent, and then...

"Hahaha!" A few students burst into laughter spontaneously. "Dylan tripped all by himself!"

"Man, that is so embarrassing."

"Hey, watch where you're stepping!"

Dylan's face flushed crimson. "It wasn't me!" He scrambled up in a hurry and pointed at Mason. "You bumped into me!"

Mason immediately shoved his shoulder back. "Are you insane? You clearly crashed into me!"

"Nonsense!" Carter stood up as well, rubbing a scraped elbow. "Are you two blind?"

The three of them began hurling blame at one another, completely unaware that Kaelan hadn't moved an inch from his spot.

Ryan frowned. He had clearly seen Dylan about to strike Kaelan, yet for some reason the guy had just fallen on his own. Olivia looked equally confused. "Did they seriously just slip?" The other students simply wrote it off as a clumsy accident.

Kaelan slid both hands into his pockets with a completely serene expression. "Finished?"

That single word made Dylan freeze. "What did you say?"

"If you're done making fools of yourselves..." Kaelan looked at them expressionlessly. "...move aside."

Dylan gnashed his teeth, wanting to lunge forward again, but Ryan suddenly grabbed his arm. "Stop."

Dylan turned around, annoyed. "But?!"

"I said stop." Ryan's tone this time was far colder, finally forcing Dylan to swallow his intentions and back down.

Kaelan walked past them without a shred of fear or anger, ignoring Olivia calling out to him, "Kaelan!" His steps never faltered, his back growing smaller as he headed toward the faculty building.

Olivia stood frozen, her shoulder still aching not because the push was forceful, but because it was the first time Kaelan had ever rejected her touch.

Ryan stared at Kaelan's retreating back with a tightened jaw. The faint smile that had appeared on Kaelan's face earlier kept replaying in his mind. He's different. Not just his attitude... his gaze, too.

Ryan clenched his fists. "Olivia."

The girl turned slowly. "What is it?"

Ryan didn't answer immediately, his eyes still tracking Kaelan's figure as he vanished around the campus corridor. "I've got a bad feeling about this."

For the first time since their scheme began, Ryan Blackwood felt that the person meant to be the victim was now turning into a threat.