Harem System In A fantasy World - Chapter 246: Is it worth it?

Chapter 246: Is it worth it?

William charged. There was no restraint left in him because whatever fear he had felt was completely drowned out by humiliation and anger.

The wind around his body surged violently as he poured more mana into it, pushing his speed to the limit as he closed the distance between them in a reckless straight line, his blade raised high as he roared in frustration.

Elion watched him come without moving, because there was no need to rush when everything about William’s approach was already laid bare in front of him.

As the sword came crashing down with all the force William could muster, Elion lifted his own blade in a smooth, almost lazy motion while shifting his stance just enough so that the incoming strike slid off at an angle.

Clang!

The moment their weapons met, the sound that rang out was sharp but hollow, like something fragile striking something unyielding.

William felt it instantly, that same dreadful lack of resistance, and before he could even react to it, Elion’s wrist turned and redirected his blade completely off course, and in that same flowing motion, Elion stepped forward and struck him across the torso with the flat side of his sword.

The impact landed with a dull, crushing sound that sent William’s entire body flying backward again as if he had been hit by something far heavier than steel.

The crowd reacted with screaming cheers. While this battle was nowhere near what they were used to witnessing from the upper years, this was bloodbumping for a different reason.

What they were witnessing did not resemble a proper fight between equals, and murmurs began to ripple outward as people leaned forward, trying to understand how a first-year could be overwhelming another in such a one-sided manner.

William crashed onto the ground and struggled to push himself up. His ribs ached, and his breath was uneven. His thoughts spiraled in a frantic loop as he tried to understand what was happening.

It was like he had forgotten that this was a fight he was never going to win anyway. His anger had blinded his reasoning.

’Why can’t I touch him…’ It frustrated him to no end.

He forced himself up again, his legs shaking slightly, and even though his instincts were screaming at him to stop, his pride would not allow it, especially not in front of this many people, and especially not in front of Elion, who was standing there with that same calm, blank expression that made everything worse.

“Stop looking at me like that!” William shouted as he rushed forward again, and this time he layered his attack with wind magic, sending compressed blades of air ahead of him while he moved in from the side, hoping to overwhelm Elion with multiple angles at once.

Elion simply stepped forward through the attack as if he had already seen it all before it happened, his movements precise and controlled, and as William’s blade came in from the side, Elion deflected it with a single motion before striking him again with the flat of his blade, sending him flying once more.

This continued again and again, and every time William tried something new or poured more mana into his attacks or altered his approach, Elion responded in the same calm manner, deflecting, evading, and then countering with a measured strike that humiliated him without ending the match, and it became painfully obvious to everyone watching that this was intentional.

“He’s dragging it out…” someone whispered in the stands, and once that thought took root, it spread quickly, because it was impossible to ignore what was happening anymore.

In the waiting room, the girls watched in silence, and even Tessa had lost her grin as she leaned forward slightly, her eyes narrowing as she observed the pattern, while Mira remained still with her gaze fixed on Elion, understanding far more than most what he was doing, and Aria’s hands were clenched tightly as she watched William being struck down again and again.

“Good,” Aria whispered, her voice quiet but filled with a sharp satisfaction that came from seeing him suffer.

High above, Maximus leaned forward slightly as he watched the scene unfold, and after a moment, he turned his head toward George and spoke in a low and thoughtful tone.

“What kind of enmity is this between those two young men, George?” he asked, his gaze never leaving the platform.

George adjusted his glasses slightly before replying.

“They have been at each other’s throats for quite some time now, and I’m afraid it is not as simple as a simple rivalry,” he said calmly, offering no embellishment, because the scene below spoke for itself.

Maximus hummed faintly as he returned his full attention to the match.

George took the opportunity to slip out of the faculty balcony. ’Let’s see how this plan of his will play out.’

Elsewhere, Cain Dawncrest’s expression had darkened completely, but unlike before, his anger was no longer divided, because while there was disappointment in William, the true focus of his fury had shifted entirely.

’Who does that boy think he is…’ His fingers tightened against the armrest as his gaze locked onto Elion. ’To stand there… and humiliate my name in front of everyone…’

His jaw clenched. ’I can’t let this continue.’

There was not much fury in his eyes for William anymore, only cold irritation, because in his mind, the disgrace came not from his son’s weakness alone, but also from the fact that someone else dared to expose it so openly.

’I will deal with that boy,’ he thought, his eyes narrowing further, ’and I will make sure he understands exactly whose name he has trampled on today.’

He stood up from his seat, alarming his retainers.

Back on the platform, William was barely holding himself together, and his body had long since passed its limit, yet he still forced himself forward because stopping meant accepting defeat, and that was something he refused to do while his father was watching.

“DAMNIT!” he screamed as he charged again, his movements sloppy, his attacks predictable, and when Elion met him this time, he didn’t even bother to use the edge of his blade, instead continuing to strike with the flat side, each blow landing cleanly and sending William back again, reinforcing the difference between them in a way that left no room for doubt.

By now, all other matches had ended, and the entire arena was watching this one platform, and the silence that hung over the crowd was heavy, because everyone could see that this was no longer just a fight, but a statement.

Elion finally slowed, and as William stumbled toward him once more, he paused for a moment, his thoughts shifting inward as he considered what to do next.

’Should I kill him?’ the thought came, calm and deliberate rather than emotional, and it lingered just long enough for him to consider it properly.

’Can I deal with the aftermath?’ he asked himself, and his mind immediately brought up everything that would be affected, not just his own position, but the people tied to him now.

Aria.

Mira.

Celeste.

The others.

The future he was building.

The responsibilities he now carried. Celeste, Esme, and Ophelia will be expecting soon. Was it worth it to put all that at risk just because of someone who had long since stopped being worth his time?

’Is it worth it?’ he asked himself, and the answer came just as clearly.

No.

He didn’t think so. It wasn’t worth it. Not for him.

His grip tightened slightly as his gaze hardened, and while he let go of the thought of killing William, he did not let go of his intent entirely.

’One limb can pass as a mistake,’ he thought, his eyes flicking briefly to William’s arms, ’but anything more would be too obvious.’

He stepped forward again, and this time there was a shift in his presence, something sharper, something colder, and William felt it immediately as fear finally crept into his expression.

And Elion raised his blade.

…

As Duke Dawncrest rose from his seat, the movement alone was enough to send a ripple through the balcony, because it was not often that a man of his stature reacted so openly, and his retainers behind him straightened immediately, their expressions tightening in alarm as they realised what he was about to do.

“Duke—” one of them began cautiously, but Cain did not even spare him a glance as his aura began to stir; his intent was clear as he stepped forward toward the edge of the balcony, fully prepared to take flight and put an end to what he now saw as an intolerable spectacle.

’I will not allow this humiliation to continue,’ he thought, his eyes fixed on the platform below where Elion stood over William like an executioner taking his time.

However, just as he was about to move, the door behind him opened softly

Cain paused as a familiar presence entered with a pink-haired young woman in a uniform beside him.

“…Brother,” George greeted lightly.

Cain’s eyes narrowed slightly at that, because George would never address him like that under normal circumstances, not in public, not in private, not at all.

While Cain did not care for such formalities or the lack thereof, he understood immediately that this was deliberate, and that meant there was something to be said.

“Be quick, George,” Cain said, his voice low and edged with impatience as he turned halfway toward them, though his body remained angled toward the arena, “I have places to be.”

George smiled faintly as he approached, completely unbothered by the pressure in the room.

“You want to stop this farce, no?” he asked casually, though there was nothing casual about the meaning behind his words. “You can’t be thinking of just appearing down there with no plan? It will cause an uproar.”

Cain’s gaze sharpened. It was obvious what he was referring to.

“I did have something in mind, but speak…I’m listening,” Cain replied after a brief pause, though the tension in his voice made it clear that his patience was limited.

George tilted his head slightly, then gestured beside him.

“I will let the girl take over.” George stepped back to let Liora take centre stage.

Liora stepped forward with a light smile, though her posture was respectful.

Her expression was calm as she bowed her head. “Greetings, my lord.”

“Speak, girl,” Cain said immediately, cutting her off before she could continue, his tone laced with irritation as he waved a hand dismissively, “I have no patience for empty greetings.”

Liora did not react to his tone.

Instead, she raised her head slowly and met his gaze with that familiar smile on her beautiful face.