Titans Throne

Disgust

Although Bastian seemed to be uninterested, Kai could see the brief embers of a certain emotion within Bastian's eyes. Kai's ability to judge others was not comparable to Bastian's but as a high level cultivator, he was easily able to see through Bastian's little façade.

What is that? Pride? Arrogance? Or is it disdain? No, these are not quite right.

It took Kai a fraction of a second to quickly process his thoughts before coming to a conclusion.

That's right. It's disgust. There is no doubt about it.

People assume that the most negative emotion one can feel for others is hatred but that is not the case. Disgust is the worst feeling one can feel for another. In the short amount of time Kai had spent with Bastian, he had seen a myriad of expressions from the youth but disgust was not one of them.

On the contrary, Bastian was a person with almost no pride at all. He was fine with anything, ate anything so long as it was edible, and wore anything so long as it covered his body. He was immune to all insults and was happy, as long as he was allowed to do his research.

Kai had noticed that Bastian had probably been raised by some foreign noble family due to the slight difference in accent and his mannerisms. Yet at the same time, Bastian behaved like the average person.

When he wanted to eat with manners he dined with the regality of a king. When he ate sloppily, he did so in a manner that would even put pigs to shame.

Even his speech would change often. Sometimes he spoke in a tone so formal and with a vocabulary so sophisticated that it made one feel inferior. Yet most of the time he seemed like a simpleton and spoke like one.

It's as if there are two people inside his body!

Kai did not realize it himself but subconsciously, he hated Bastian because he felt cheated. Bastian was a simple looking fellow but was obviously far from simple, once you got to know him.

Bastian's paradoxical behavior made Kai uncomfortable. Kenshin was mysterious as well but men like him were as common as a grain of sand in the world of cultivators. Bastian on the other hand, was something else.

There was only one thing that allowed Kai to believe that he knew Bastian. According to Kai's analysis of the boy, due to his lack of pride and standards, he was incapable of disgust. Yet before him, the same Bastian he knew had once again turned into what Kai thought was a different person once more.

Disgust and Pride have a deep connection with each other, it's impossible to have one and not be able to have the other.

This means at some base level, this brat has pride, the question is what? What has brought about this reaction?

Edward and his companions had merely been there for a few seconds, yet Bastian had already noticed something about them he didn't like. Kai's mind started racing.

This isn't the first time Bastian has seen arrogant nobles.

Shasha had a few visitors in the past few weeks, whom Bastian had had the pleasure of meeting. They were just as arrogant as the people in front of them.

Could it be the women? But plenty of the servants at our house are perverse by nature in their free time. Bastian got along with them quite fine. So what is different this time?

Kai had thought too much about what Kenshin had always told him and this made him to start seeing Bastian in a new light. That was until the unthinkable happened. Bastian could no longer hide the look of disgust on his face anymore and pinched his nose. "You smell. Go Bath." said Bastian as he looked at Edward and Maxwell.

Everyone at the scene, except Kenshin, was dumbstruck by Bastian's words. Bastian had indeed noticed something about Edward and his friends but it wasn't as complex as Kai thought it was. Bastian's sense of smell was undoubtedly his strongest sense, and in this case he couldn't handle it no longer.

Bastian had gotten used to his heightened sense of smell and had developed a resistance toward the pungent smells he often sensed. That day however was different. He was tired, he was injured and he was irritated by the events of the day. Ever since the battle with Ruka had ended, Bastian had noticed the smile Kenshin was attempting to hide. Kenshin himself knew that he could not hide it from Bastian's watchful eye but he was too happy to care.

After noticing the smile, Bastian felt cheated. He didn't like being manipulated, even more so by someone as arrogant as Kenshin, so he was in a bad mood.

There was no doubt that Kai and Shasha were in on it as well, so Bastian also had a bone to pick with them. Though somehow, he managed to push such thoughts to the back of his mind and rather, focused on getting home and resting.

Edward and Bastian had brought about the smell Bastian hated the most. It brought about bad memories for Bastian and was something he usually tries to avoid. The smell had been caused by the coital activities of Maxwell and Edward with their female counterparts.

So he could not help it anymore and reacted, in a manner that left others speechless. Kenshin, due to his unique understanding of Bastian, had a rough idea of what had happened and thus was not surprised. Not to mention that he didn't care.

Once more Kai's mind started racing. As a high level cultivator, Kai was able to process multiple thoughts within the fraction of a second. Bastian had clearly been referring to the party that had just joined them, with his eyes glaring at Edward and Maxwell in particular. The duo had just been bluntly refused by the 'meek' Shasha in front of their group and had lost quite a bit of face because of this. Bastian, a mere slave at that point in time, had just called them smelly. Not to mention that he did little to lower his voice down. Many other people near the group had heard Bastian's irritated voice. Thus worsening he blow.

Edward was speechless, but Maxwell's reaction was quick. Trembling from rage, he bellowed, "How dare a mere slave speak to me in such a manner! Arias, Pontus, kill him now!"

The situation had collapsed into an uncontrollable conundrum. In that hall, it was against the law to activate qi or mana, but the duo that Maxwell had ordered to attack were Teachers. Even without accessing their qi, they were deadly. Within an instant, they had gotten ready to pounce on their prey

Kai knew them well, and almost moved to assist Bastian when a hand came from behind to stop Kai. Without him having to look behind he knew it was Kenshin. Kenshin's grip was quite impressive but that was not what surprised Kai the most.

Just how did he get behind me without me knowing?