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“Oh? You guys have no class?”
Mu’en returned to the training ground but found it dimly lit, as if all the light had been obstructed.
Only at the center of the training ground was magic equipment projecting a duel between two warriors.
It felt like watching a movie.
It was obvious that Teacher Kaide had let them watch this first while he took Kolen’s ice sculpture to seek revenge on the Pink Bear.
(TN: Kolen was turned into ice sculpture by Celicia)
It was easy to guess that this time, Teacher Kaide, who always placed great importance on classes and would scold students for lacking energy, was quite angry to leave the classroom himself and let the students self-study.
However, this was just right.
Mu’en walked to the center of the training ground, stepped on the magic equipment, and turned off the image.
The training ground was instantly brightened.
All the students, still adapting to the sudden change in scenery, shifted their gazes to the center of the training ground.
Or rather, to Mu’en.
“Mu’en Campbell?”
After a brief silence, someone snapped back to reality.
Their expression was unpleasant:
“What are you doing back here?”
“Hmm? Can’t I come back?”
Mu’en looked over in confusion:
“I believe I have the right to attend this class.”
“Just attending class doesn’t mean you can turn off the image!”
Someone shouted angrily.
“You interrupted our studying!”
“Ha, I’ve never seen you all so eager to learn before.”
Mu’en chuckled and then walked forward, step by step, his footsteps clear.
With each step he took, some students’ expressions grew a little worse.
Mu’en leisurely observed them, confirming the memories in his mind one by one.
Finally, he arrived at a position very close to the audience seats.
He picked a chair from the audience and placed it behind him, then sat down.
And then faced everyone.
“I was a scumbag in the past.”
As Mu’en’s words fell, everyone was taken aback.
They didn’t expect him to come up and insult himself.
What kind of tactic was this, directly self-destructing to highlight his fierceness?
Mu’en ignored others and continued:
“But now, I don’t want to be a scumbag.”
“But some people still think I’m a scumbag.”
“I don’t blame them, as people often have stereotypes; changing one’s image in others’ eyes is a lengthy process.”
“So I am also trying, although… hmm, the effects are minimal, but I am indeed trying.”
“According to my original plan, I didn’t intend to come back. After all, isn’t it just being talked about? It doesn’t mean much to me. Just endure it, and it’ll pass. I’m used to it, and in fact, that would help me maintain an image of being broad-minded in others’ eyes.”
“But, in any case, it’s still quite annoying.”
“Just like a certain domineering president said, this gray and gloomy appearance is disgusting, so I came back.”
“Since I’m back, I definitely can’t let this go.”
“Before, those people talked about me, and I couldn’t do anything about it because, in a sense, they were talking about the former me, and they were speaking the truth, but—”
Mu’en suddenly broke into a smile, looking joyful:
“Isn’t it quite the coincidence? I can’t do anything about those people, but I can do something about you.
After all—
You said that if you did something wrong, you should apologize, didn’t you?”
“What do you mean by this?”
Someone shouted loudly:
“Are you trying to take on all of us?”
“That’s not right. What do you mean by ‘all of us’? I counted; there are only thirty-five people.”
Mu’en’s expression grew cold, raising his hand to point at those people:
“I know most of you are just following the crowd, chasing thrills, or seeking excitement, but—
Just like how you felt I was the oppressor and demanded an apology, now you have become the oppressors, and I have become the oppressed… shouldn’t each of you apologize one by one?”
As Mu’en’s words fell, silence enveloped the arena.
It seemed everyone was stunned by the boldness of this blonde man at that moment.
Apologize?
All of them?
Didn’t they know that the law doesn’t punish the masses?
Even a teacher wouldn’t punish everyone in such a situation!
“Mu’en Campbell, you’re too arrogant!”
As if unable to bear this humiliation, one of the previously most active individuals suddenly stood up and slammed the table:
“Even if we are only thirty-five people, that’s still thirty-five noble families. Even if you are the son of a duke, you still can’t—”
“Tek Rod, right?”
Mu’en interrupted him suddenly.
The person named Tek Rod seemed taken aback at being called by name, and his expression involuntarily darkened.
“I remember you are the son of an earl, with a noble status. The Rod family is not a small family; it has significant power throughout Bairland.”
“Since you know that…”
“But you seem to have three older brothers.”
Mu’en said:
“By calculation, you are only the fourth in line to inherit the title.”
Tek turned pale upon hearing this: “So what?”
Mu’en didn’t answer, merely smiled faintly.
Then, “Ibrufen Ted, the sixth son of Marquis Ted.”
“Guqi Silon, the fifth son of Earl Silon.”
“And…”
Mu’en pointed out one name after another, and as he was about to name almost all of the thirty-five, he clapped his hands and said:
“Alright, now those who I have called out tell me…
Can you truly represent your family?”
“…”
A silence fell.
No one answered.
But everyone knew the answer.
Of course not.
Most nobles, to ensure heirs, wouldn’t their lives consist of having a dozen or so offspring?
Only the Campbell family was so special, with a single line of inheritance.
Thus, most people here ranked low in terms of inheritance rights.
Representing their family?
How could that be possible?
If they died, their families wouldn’t probably be heartbroken at all.
“Got it?”
Looking at the thirty-five people before him, Mu’en stood up, his face stern, rarely showing the pride… and coldness of a duke’s son.
“This is the difference between the son of a duke and the sole son of a duke.
Well, although I might not be the sole son of the duke much longer, but before that…”
Mu’en clenched his fist, as if holding tightly to a power and authority that others couldn’t reach.
“I, Mu’en Campbell, represent Duke Campbell; I represent the very name Campbell itself. If you insult me, you are just as good as insulting Campbell!”
Mu’en’s words fell like a heavy hammer, smashing into each of those thirty-five people’s hearts, causing their faces to instantly lose all color, turning pale as paper.
Just as Mu’en Campbell stated, he could represent the Campbell family, but they, could not represent their own families.
In fact, their own families would never offend a future duke because of them.
“So now… do you have anything else to say?”
Mu’en scanned around again, seeing no one responding, and nodded in satisfaction.
“Looks like you all agree with what I said, so…”
Mu’en casually pointed at Tek, who was closest to him, and said:
“Let’s start with you, come here.”
“…”
Tek, under the sympathetic gazes of everyone, reluctantly, took a step at a time toward Mu’en.
His body trembled like a sieve, his face looking worse than if both his parents had died.
Finally, as he approached Mu’en, it seemed he couldn’t bear the pressure, and shouted with tears:
“Mu’en Campbell, what do you want me to do? Pay money or cede land?”
“Pay money? Cede land?”
Mu’en looked puzzled, “What do you mean?”
“Isn’t it about paying money or ceding land?”
Tek’s eyes widened in terror:
“Do you want my sister? You beast, she’s only eight years old!”
“Although I don’t know why you’d have such a strange thought, but didn’t I just say? I want you to apologize.”
Mu’en placed his hand on his shoulder and pressed down hard.
“Apologize, got it? The attitude should be sincere, the tone should be humble, and… your waist should bend nicely.”
“And remember, stop pointing fingers from a moral high ground in the future, or… be careful of slipping like this time and straining your back.”
……
……
“Is it really just an apology?”
In a corner, watching everything unfold in the training ground, Ariel couldn’t help but sneer.
“How boring, I thought you were going to break their legs.”
“Hmm?”
As she was talking to herself, Ariel suddenly glanced to the side.
It seemed someone quickly darted through the back door, and she could vaguely see a thin monkey face.
“Is it another incident related to Mu’en Campbell?”
Ariel thought for a moment before retracting her gaze.
“Forget it, I don’t care about his business.”
Saying this, she revealed a happy smile and stroked the Communication Stone in her hand.
“I still need to think about how to talk to the beauty next time.”
