Chapter 56: A Dire Mistake
After walking away from the headmaster, the group finally let out a sigh of relief and relaxed. Windle and Lia’s clothes were soaked from the sweat they produced. As for the others, there were also covered with sweat.
“Teo, you are one crazy bastard”, Windle said with a weakened smile.
“Indeed, Teo you are truly fearless. If you don’t control yourself in the future, you might end up dying early”, Gina warned
“Little Teo, promise me in the future, you must pick your battles wisely. Without strength you can’t protect others or yourself. Antagonizing a giant will only lead you to be stepped on”, Rowen warned.
“I will remember what big sister and senior sister says”, Teo replied
It was true that things got out of hand. He never expected that even the headmaster would get involved. Teo was confident of dealing with anyone of Zachery’s group, but with some reflection, he also realized that he pulled them into harm’s way.
“Everyone, I am sorry for dragging you into this”, Teo sincerely said as he bowed to everyone asking for forgiveness.
“Ha ha, this little problem is nothing for me. Instead of worrying for others, you should worry about yourself!”, Tordin laughed it off as he replied
Gina and Rowen smiled and laughed a bit to lighten the mood of everyone but everyone noticed Lia and Windle’s quietness.
They both had mixed feelings about this incident. They admired Teo for standing up for his sister, and was impressed to how unfazed he was when dealing with the headmaster, but they were also concerned for their own safety.
Because of Teo they were dragged into this mess.
The seniors notice of this as well and the mood turned gloomy.
Teo approached his two friends and softly said, “Lia, Windle, I am sorry about this”
“Teo… I..”, Windle wanted to speak but could not find any other words. He wanted to convinced Teo that he was alright, but it was clear that he was troubled.
Lia was also silent. Her day was too eventful, and she did not have time to digest all of the implications of these events. All she knew was that she might face future troubles because of Teo.
A conflicting emotion emerged from the two, their friendship was currently being tested.
In the past few days, they had seen some people brutally wounded in the city’s arena. Some even die, the thoughts of having this events that Teo caused might lead them to their deaths scared them.
Fear, sadness, frustration and anger all mixed together!
They could only silently turn their heads and leave.
Rowen looked at Gina with a hint of message in her eyes.
Gina nodded and followed the two who silently left.
There was regret within his face, he knew that this incident had caused a rift between his friends and himself.
“Don’t worry Teo, just give them time”, Rowen said
‘Next time, I really do need to pick my battles and I can’t drag anyone else into my problems either. I need to fix this somehow!’, he thought to himself.
Through this incident, he realized that he had many flaws and weaknesses. His actions today, although admirable to some, was actually very stupid. His overconfidence in himself clouded his judgement; risking his friends and sister’s wellbeing, just for his pride.
He might even lose his friends because of this..
After the group parted ways. Rowen and Teo headed to the medical center to get healed up. Both of them were slightly wounded, but it was not life threatening at all. In any case, Rowen wanted to have a medical expert to check Teo’s wounds.
….
After they had left the medical center, the two siblings walked alongside each other. Their steps were slow and leisurely. Suddenly, Rowen stops and then look far beyond the scenery. The sun was still up in the air, but was slowly setting down. Rowen sighed as he looked at her depressed little brother.
Today’s events worried her deeply. Within less than a year, she would no longer be able to protect her little brother and now, this little brother of hers had provoked a sleeping tiger. He even might lose his friends over this, what Teo needed were strong allies to help him in the future.
“Hm? Big sister what’s wrong?”, Teo asked as he noticed his sister unmoving.
She was in deep thought, and her face was full of worry. Although Teo had asked her this question, he could guess what she was worried about.
“Little Teo, you have to become strong quickly as so you won’t get bullied. Strong enough to protect yourself, and to protect what you want to protect”
Teo gave a reassuring smile and spoke
“Big sister, don’t worry. I will be so strong that no one can bully me or my big sister”, Teo tried to lighten the mood and reassured his big sister.
Rowen gave a smirked and thought to herself, ‘when did this brother of mine become so confident’, she couldn’t help but smile.
“What about Mom, Dad, Uncle and Big brother?What about your friends, Gina and Riss?”, Rowen asked
“Of course they are also on the list of people I have to protect, but why did sister forget about Tordin?”
“That asshole can protect himself just fine!”, She wrinkled her nose as she recalled Tordin’s face. Although she was always so brutal with him with her words, he was one of her closest friend.
The mood turned light, but after a while, Rowen’s face turned solemn and full of concern and faced Teo directly.
“Teo, you must never be overconfident! You must be wary at all times. One mistake can even cause the greatest men fall.
I once heard from elder brother that he once had a senior before I arrived at the academy. This senior was so fierce that he was very proud and arrogant, but he was very kind to his juniors. He became the King of the Arena within Mirth city!”, Rowen carefully said.
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“Sister, what is a King of the Arena?”
“It’s the title given to a person who has been undefeated in over a hundred consecutive matches! This senior was very strong, and was undefeated. He then started slaughtering opponents to show off his power, despite having the ability to easily defeat them without taking their lives. He became so arrogant that he insulted many of the wealthy families and top guilds around the city.
He also rejected all their invitations and even insulted them in their faces. He became like an untameable beast and because of his overconfidence, he believed himself to be invincible! He was the youngest rank 6 warrior that this academy has ever produced but before he graduated, he was mysteriously killed!”, Rowen spoke as she remembered her elder brother’s words.
“This senior died young because of his arrogance and overconfidence. He was very talented and would have had a bright future, but he wronged too many people and offended powers he should not have offended”
She spoke the words exactly as she heard them from Aran.
“Little Teo, remember this. Confidence is good and being a coward is bad, but overconfidence is poison! Even if you are strong, you have to learn to fear the weak, because all strong men were once weak, and from weakness there is strength!”, She paused and took a deep breath.
“Even if you have strength, there will always be someone stronger, this is why we should always tread carefully in life. There is always a man beyond a man, and there is a sky above the sky”
Teo listened intently to his sister’s words. He knew that these words were profound, and he carved these words into his heart.
She gave Teo a hug, and then gave Teo a smile
“Teo, we are a family and we must look out for each other, but soon I will be leaving this place, So before I go, you have to train hard to become strong enough that I don’t have to worry about you.”
Teo felt very warm in his heart. He was very comfortable in his sister’s arms, but then her words echoed into Teo’s ear and Teo felt that he had forgotten something; something important!
All the warmth and comfort he felt was instantly shattered by this forgotten thing. He felt like he had forgotten such a dire mistake! He repeated Rowen’s words in his head over and over again..
“We are… We are… We are family… Family… family...”
Then it hit him like a thunderbolt in the sky!
“I promise you and the holy emperor that no harm will come to you or your friends”...
Headmaster Elon’s promise echoed in his ear and he realized the dire mistake that he had made! This mistake stabbed directly into his heart and he was instantly filled with regret.
He had overlooked such a crucial mistake, and left his sister exposed!
‘No.. how could I miss this...This can’t.. This can’t be! My sister is my friend so she should also count as a friend! THAT SNEAKY BASTARD!!”
His emotions flowed like water, moving from one stage to the next
“Please… please don’t harm my sister…. Ai why am I so stupid...’
After a while, he took a deep breath.
‘Since I can’t be sure that my sister will be fine, I have to assume to worst! Elon!’
“Little Teo, what’s wrong?”
Rowen instantly discovered something odd about Teo and quickly brought him back to his senses.
“Umm it’s nothing big sister..”, Teo quickly masked his thoughts as to not worry his beloved sister.
“Are you sure? You look a little pale, perhaps we should go back and have the doctor look at you again”
“No, it’s nothing really. Big sister, I have a few requests to ask of you”
“Hm? Sure, you know anything that I, your big sister Rowen, can do, I will help!”, she smiled and looked proud. She loved it when Teo depended on her
“First, you must never leave the academy before the year is over! Can you promise me this?”
Teo looked worried, but Rowen felt relieved. She assumed that this is why Teo was so strange a moment ago.
“Sure, It’s not like I am that maniac Tordin. I don’t need to go to the city at all. So what’s the other request?”
“Can I borrow the necklace I gave you?”
“Oh this?”
Rowen took out a necklace she wore. This was Teo’s first present to her, she was a bit reluctant to give it back.
Teo saw the necklace and it looked quite differently. The cord of the necklace was replaced with an iron chain, and the pendant was also covered within a metallic container.
“Big sister, what did you do to the necklace?”, Teo was curious as it looked nothing like the necklace he gave her
“I had to put some protection around it. It is my very precious treasure, but during sparring, it is quite dangerous, so I had to strengthen it a bit”
The necklace was so well protected that it looked like a chained weapon around her neck. Teo was flabbergasted!
Although Rowen could’ve put this precious necklace away while sparring, she did not do so precisely because it was precious.
“Don’t worry big sister, I’ve been studying inscriptions and I can strengthen in quite a bit. I was planning on upgrading it before you graduated”
“Oh? Okay then”, Rowen slowly removed the necklace from her neck and handed it to Teo.
She was reluctant to give it back to Teo, but after hearing his reason, her reluctance disappeared.