Chapter 67: The First Punch
Kailun shook his head, feigning disappointment. “Paul, you break my heart. I considered you a friend. I lent you money, helped you find your sister, and even paid a hefty sum to rescue her when she was about to be sold into slavery.”
“Enough!” Paul snapped, his voice strangely high-pitched.
“Stop pretending, Kailun! I never considered you a friend! I only approached you to exploit your wealth and status! And you were doing the same to me! You enjoyed mocking me, humiliating me, playing with my emotions!” He glared at Kailun, his eyes filled with hatred.
“You’re wrong. I did consider you a friend. At least until three days ago.”
He had been naive in his past life, trusting Paul completely. But that trust had been shattered.
He hadn’t known that Paul had already pledged his allegiance to Hilna by the time they graduated.
And to make matters worse, he had failed to kill Paul. The one opportunity he had, during an ambush, had been thwarted by Winnie, who had taken the blow meant for Paul. Their final confrontation had ended in a crushing defeat.
He had lost his family, his hope, everything.
But in this life, he would return that despair tenfold.
“Stop with the charade! You disgust me!” Paul spat.
Kailun’s brow furrowed. “How dare you!”
Before anyone could react, he channeled a portion of his attributes into Agility and Strength, appearing before Paul in a flash.
“Thud!”
A sickening crunch echoed through the valley as Paul’s body folded in on itself, flying backwards.
He crashed through a group of soldiers, finally coming to a stop after skidding across the ground for over ten meters.
Lodis’s face hardened. “Kailun, that was uncalled for! Attacking my man in my presence? Do you have no respect for a prince?”
Harry, who had been watching with amusement, now glared at Kailun before rushing over to heal Paul.
“My apologies, Your Highness. But Paul broke the law by openly insulting a noble. I’m within my rights to punish him, even if it means removing his limbs. Are you suggesting there’s something wrong with the kingdom’s laws?” Kailun smiled sweetly, wiping his hands with a handkerchief offered by Anna.
He had attacked Paul for one simple reason: he felt like it.
Lodis, after a moment of silence, chuckled. “You’re right, of course. It was Paul’s fault. Let’s not dwell on this. It’s your wedding day. Congratulations.”
Kailun ignored the sarcasm in his voice. “Thank you for your kind wishes. What gift have you brought? I’m quite curious.”
Lodis froze.
He hadn’t planned on bringing a gift. His plan involved sacrificing his remaining guards and then framing Kailun and Hilna as traitors with Harry’s help. He hadn’t anticipated Kailun’s audacity.
But refusing to offer a gift would be a loss of face.
He took a deep breath, reminding himself to be magnanimous.
“Of course!” He gritted his teeth and retrieved a scroll from his pocket. “A fifth-tier magic scroll. That should suffice.”
A fifth-tier scroll was worth nearly a thousand gold coins, a valuable commodity in the Xiya Kingdom.
“More than enough! You’re too kind, Your Highness.” Kailun smiled, handing the scroll to Roden for safekeeping.
“Oh, look! The princess has arrived! Please excuse me, Your Highness. I must go greet her.”
He grabbed Anna’s hand and hurried away.
“The nerve! He didn’t even bother assigning someone to entertain us! No wonder Hilna hates you!” Lodis fumed, watching him go.
“How’s Paul? Did that bastard kill him?” He turned to Harry, his voice laced with concern.
“Minor internal bleeding. A scratch. Not even as much blood as we spilled last night. He’s fine now.” Harry helped Paul to his feet.
“That Kailun is going too far! A wedding? Hah! Hilna’s army will arrive soon enough. It’ll be a funeral!” Lodis scoffed.
“Don’t underestimate him. He’s strange. He only displayed third-tier power, but I couldn’t sense its source.” Harry shook his head, his gaze wary.
Lodis frowned. “Is that even possible?”
“Cough, cough!” Paul coughed, struggling to sit up. He glared at Kailun, his eyes filled with murderous intent.
Harry embraced him, his voice soothing. “My poor boy. Don’t fret. Once I introduce you to the Saint, you’ll soar to new heights. Kailun will be nothing to you. The entire Xiya Kingdom will be beneath you.”
Despite his disgust, Paul endured, his desire for revenge overriding his revulsion.
He couldn’t understand how Kailun had surpassed him in strength. In his eyes, Kailun had always been a talentless weakling.
…
Meanwhile, Kailun, with Phils by his side, approached Hilna. He had switched Anna and Phils’s positions earlier.
“Welcome, Your Highness! You brought quite the entourage! I’m honored.” He smiled, his gaze sweeping across her companions.
Kostja, Loston, and the others offered him awkward smiles.
Anderson was the most pitiful. He had lost his hand and his position, forced into early retirement.
Only Shirley and Hilna met his gaze directly. Shirley seemed unchanged, but Hilna looked weary, the aura of regality that had once surrounded her now faded.
What a shame, Kailun thought. She had lost a bit of her edge.
“You were a valued student, Kailun. I wouldn’t miss your wedding. But is Phils truly the bride?” Hilna’s gaze flickered between them. She had suspected Phils’s betrayal for some time now.
“Not quite. She hasn’t arrived yet. But you’ll see her soon enough.” His smile held a hidden meaning.
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