We were in a stalemate.

Everyone was frozen like statues not daring to move a muscle. Especially the lackeys along with Moses were sweating like crazy. Even James who has been arrogant all this time was now had a troubled expression.

As for me, I was a bit worried too.

I still haven’t recovered but even if I was in my peak condition, I am not so sure that I could take on a mage by myself. There is a very slim chance that I could fight a mage and come alive that is also assuming after losing a limb or two.

I still haven’t mastered the basics of the mana, so I don’t think it would be any use in combat as it stands now.

In conclusion, it’s better not to piss off this rail guard.

While everyone was in panic mode, the young rail guard just walked around us and sat at the railing with his arms folded. For some reason, he still had a bright friendly smile as he stared at us.

We all stayed like statues for the first few seconds.

But apparently, the first one to break the silence was James,

“I am James Malice, the young lord of the Malice household. Pardon my impudence but I would suggest that you won’t intervene in this matter. I seek some answers from that arrogant brat who has cheated to pass the trial so that I can bring his crimes to light.”

Said James as he pointed his finger at me.

Look at brat James, straight out spouting nonsense.

This dude just was eager to learn the trick to use mana, now straight out accusing me of cheating.

I quickly glanced at the rail guard to check his expression.

Only to see the rail guard was looking at me while staring with his cold eyes and a friendly smile. He only glanced at me for a second and turned back to James.

“Oh, if it isn’t the young lord of house Malice! You needn’t worry! I won’t interrupt your little investigation. I was already getting bored standing guard so seeing some action would be a good change of scene, perhaps.” replied the rail guard with a broad smile.

Meanwhile, James was a bit surprised,

“You… You heard about my household name before?” asked James.

“Of course, I do! And you don’t have to worry about me trying to stop your little investigation. I will just be standing at the side as a mere spectator. Also, I will keep everything that happened here to myself.” replied the rail guard.

Hearing this even the lackeys were more surprised.

“Of course, everyone has heard master’s house name.”

“I never doubted that. Haha..”

“Neither did I!”

“Hahaha…”

Meanwhile, James lifted his head with a satisfied smile,

“Of course, he does! My dad’s the mayor of Cherie city.”

“Wow! That big City?” asked one of the lackeys.

“That’s great!” added another.

“I never heard about that city though.” I chimed in.

Hearing that James gave me the eye,

“How could a lowly mutt that came out of the boonies know anything about this world. Just because you managed to pass the trial doesn’t mean you can act as you please. It’s just that I heard that you managed to use a bit of mana and that’s the reason I thought I must speak with you. But instead of obliging, you are acting high and might as if you are doing a favor granting an audience with me. Who do you think you are, huh?”

I let out a big yawn while rubbing my eyes,

“Ah, damn I was about to doze off. If you are done with your speech, can I go back to my room now?”

James and the lackeys were quite upset, with my behavior.

Meanwhile, the rail guard watched keenly while playing with his ear piercings.

Although I was trying to act frivolously, I was actually more focused on the movements of the rail guard. For some reason, my instincts were telling me to not get on the bad side of that guy.

I would even care less for these brats trying to intimidate me using stature and the number. The only thing worried about was that mage watching us with a hawk eye.

“Mr. Railguard!” shouted James all of a sudden.

The rail guard glanced at James,

“Hmm?”

“This little arrogant brat has got a big head and we just want to teach him a lesson. I hope that you won’t interfere with whatever happens from now on. He must be taught his place.” said James while glaring at me with rage.

Even the lackeys joined in as they glared at me.

These little brats really are really acting like little loyal dogs of their master.

The rail guard scoffed,

“Don’t worry. I assure you that I won’t interfere in this matter. I swear on my oath as a mage. You guys are going to be the young mages that would lead our nation to its glory, one day. Kids should solve their matter between kids, we adults don’t need to interfere anyway. But just see to that, no one gets killed. It would be troublesome if a candidate dies in the presence of a rail guard.” he said while smiling as usual.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

“Haha! Well if that’s so then we will keep him just barely alive,” said James haughtily.

It’s a good thing that the rail guard won’t get involved.

That means I can beat them all with a piece of my mind.

“Oi Benjamin! You should just hurry up and apologize!” shouted Moses all of a sudden.

James gave Moses the look and asked,

“You want to save this mutt?”

Moses drank his own saliva,

“No~ Uh, I am not trying to save this runt. It’s just that I- I just wanted him to show that young Lord James is a kind and generous person. So you have a big heart to forgive this boy, that is if he bows his head and apologizes and reveals how he managed to use mana in the trial.”

James had a smile,

“Well of course I am a kind-hearted person. If he bows his head with an apology and also reveals how he can use mana, assuming that he can; Only then I might even consider forgiving his demeanor.”

“So apologize Benjamin!” shouted Moses.

But I just ignored and acted like I didn’t care.

One of the lackey’s stepped in front of me,

“Did you hear what young lord just said? Get on your knees-”

But before he could complete his sentence I lunged forward and kicked the guy with a spinning kick hitting right at his jaw. With just one hit, the kid fell unconscious and fell on the floor with a thud.

That kick was so satisfying that I was already itching for more.

Meanwhile, everyone was stunned seeing me going in the offense.

The piled-up stress and frustration, I need to let it out one way or another.

“Could we skip to the good part, already?”, I asked while with a taunting smile.

“Get him!” commanded James angrily.

The other three lackey’s rushed at me like raging bulls.

But they lacked any skill or plan, they were just relying on just pure strength. I easily kicked them in the feet making them lose their balance and finished with a counter punch. With just one hit I knocked the other 3 lackeys without much struggle.

I tried to hold back so that I won’t unintentionally end up killing them. The other three lackeys were on the floor wriggling around in pain.

The only ones standing here were Moses and James.

They were all pretty shocked seeing my performance.

Meanwhile, the rail guard who was watching from the side started whistling,

“Not bad, kid.”

Thankfully the rail guard didn’t bother to intervene.

That’s a good thing.

James pushed Moses from behind,

“Stop gawking and do something.”

Moses unintentionally stepped forward with puppy eyes,

“Be-Benji! Stop this! You can’t hurt him. He is from-”

But before Moses could finish my fist landed on his nose.

He landed on his rump while grabbing onto his bloody nose.

“You idiot!” I said out loud, “So what if he comes from a high-class family, he’s just a nobody who rides on the coattails of his family name. On the other hand, I have successfully managed to use mana right out of the bat in the trial. In that manner, I am a prodigy that is born in one hundred, no… one in thousand years.”

I acted all arrogant and looked at them with scorn.

James was losing it,

“You!! How dare you-”

“Could you shut up!” I said out loud in a condescending tone,

“Who do you think the organizers gonna favor huh? You, a pathetic brat who just happens to be born in just a little better class of family or me, who can use mana at the young age of 12? Wouldn’t it be more of a shame that one boy managed to beat up 6 brats who tried to gang up on him? The organizers would even strip you of your rank.”

Hearing that even Moses and the lackeys had a worried look.

At this moment, I was acting out of character.

I usually don’t try to stand out but boasting my value was necessary.

Especially to let that rail guard sitting by the railing know it first.

Knowing that the country values mages, I who could use mana at the young age of 12 was a great asset for this country. So I am pretty sure that ceremony organizers might even go out of their way to support me even if I piss off some high-class family. That is why I didn’t mind beating up a high-class brat.

This would have been another matter if James was a nobility, thankfully he is not.

The other reason I bragged about myself was to let that rail guard know about my importance. For some reason, that rail guard seemed to be dangerous who would not hesitate to kill. At least, that’s what my instincts were trying to tell me.

So if I let him know that I am the valuable candidate that the ceremony organizer would treasure, he would surely not try to harm me. There is a good chance he would let me go unharmed.

Thankfully the rail guard kept watching from a distance while playing with his piercings.

I finally focused on James.

I approached him while cracking my knuckles,

“So you were saying something about a lesson to be taught, huh?”

James backed a step but then stood his ground,

“So you dare pick a fight with me. Alright then. Let me warn you though, I have mastered the art of the sword~”

*Phoo*

One left jab,

*Phah*

One right jab,

*Waah*

One kick to the abdomen.

And lo!

James fell on the ground vomiting his guts out.

It seemed he puked out his entire undigested lunch.

I backed away to not get stained by his disgusting puke splashing all over.

It took about a minute for him to let it out.

He then stood up terrifyingly,

“You~ You! Dare attack the young heir to Malice’s house! I will see that you and your entire family get executed.”

I approached with my fist intimidating him even further,

“In that case, I should just kill you right here.”

The young lord James was terrified as he hurriedly got up on his feet and ran towards the rail guard, “Hey, you! Mr. Railguard! Stop him! He’s trying to kill the young heir of the Malice house.”

Damn it!

That prick gonna drag that rail guard now.

James approached the rail guard while flailing his arms.

The rail guard who was sitting on the railings finally got up.

“Please stay away.” said the rail guard.

But James continued to run towards him in panic,

“Please save me! That mutt attacked me! The heir of the Malice house~” James continued to ramble on while complaining.

This would get troublesome if the rail guard decides to intervene.

Should I run?

I asked myself.

James reached to where the rail guard and he reached out to him with his hands.

But suddenly there was a flash of light where the rail guard was standing.

In the next second, I saw a pair of arms flying in mid-air splattering blood droplets all around.

I couldn’t tell what just happened as the pair of arms flew across the room and landed on the face of one of the lackeys lying on the ground.

Blood splats all around.

I quickly turned to just see James who stood there in horror as he glared at his own severed arms. The blood gushed like a faucet while splashing all over his face.

Meanwhile, the rail guard had one of his arms raised in the air and I could see yellow lightning sparkle in his hand.

There was dead silence in the air.

A chill of bloodlust awakened my instincts telling me to run.

James had his voice stuck in his throat as he glanced at the rail guard.

The rail guard looked back at him with a look of spite,

“I didn’t want you to muddle my uniform with your vomit-stained hands, hence why I told you to stay away. But you didn’t listen. Look what you made me do.”

This dude just chopped his arms because he was worried about some vomit staining his uniform. What the fucking hell?!

James stared at the rail guard in horror before falling on the ground unconscious. The blood was still flowing from his amputated arms.

The rancid smell of uric acid filled the room, as the brats laying on the floor soiled themselves. They were still shocked at what they just witnessed.

“AH!!” shouted the rail guard, “Shit! I unintentionally used my power, this could get messy.”

He said to himself.

Meanwhile, I was on my guard looking for an opening to escape.

The lackeys and the other boys were all scared shitless crying and fumbling like a bunch of retards.

Moses on the other hand wasn't moving as if his legs had given up.

He probably even shit himself, who knows.

The rail guard then suddenly glanced at us,

“Well, what’s done is done. I should just get off the witnesses while I’m at it.”

A cold shiver ran down my spine.

Okay, this could get ugly.

And here I just had nearly been saved from being killed by a golem statue, only to be killed by a lunatic mage. Isn’t what they say, out of the frying pan into the fire.

I got one shitty luck.