The audience turns lifeless as they watch Eugene and Timber in the mirror [screen]. What's more? on the other side shows the son of the grand duke finding food for Eugene. So, what about the poison? Can anyone tell them if Team 4's commander is now out of danger?

Eugene lay on Timber's lap happily.

Unaware that outside, everyone fell into silence doubting their eyesight and hearing. After all who would dare to order the precious son of the grand duke? I'm afraid the last person who accidentally hurt Kaizer is now gone after the family got executed, and it's two generations.

Audience: "..."

Grand Duke Karsten: "..." You order my son to find you food and you are flirting with someone. Kid, aren't you a bit scumbag?

Eugene patted his protesting stomach.

"Everyone should find food and eat too. Don't imitate me, I didn't eat breakfast."

Sanciel feels dizzy about what's happening: "N-No, commander what about the poison? Did Kaizer help you remove it?"

"Ah?" Eugene tilted his head and suddenly remember that Kaizer really seems to be extracting the poison from his arm because the pain lessen. However, he pushes the person to find his food so the treatment is discontinued. Well, forget it, he will not die with such a weak poison. He already blocks the poisons using his mana so It won't go anywhere other than his arms.

"It's good, don't worry I won't die."

Timber frown: "Your arm doesn't look good. Where is Kaizer? Why he is so slow?"

Eugene purses his lips and covers Timber's mouth. He just realizes now that Timber seems to disrespect Kaizer. What to do if the grand duke got mad? I'm afraid the whole county of Rozans would disappear. Though he can protect Timber, he's afraid he can't save anyone other than him [Timber] because he could really care less about others.

"Baby shut your sweet mouth."

Timber blushed and nodded, telling Eugene to let go.

Audience: "..." Stop flirting!

Grand Duke Karsten gritted his teeth. What about his son? Can his son still fight for a favor? It's obviously clear that Timber weighs more than anyone in Eugene's heart. He's afraid that his son is not Timber's opponent when it comes to being the favorite.

Sanciel and Theoran offer themselves to look for food.

This made Zaoran, Timber, and Reign thankful, and told the two to be careful. Since Sanciel and Theoran would get Timber's stake Eugene told them a place where they can easily get fruits and is less dangerous than other areas.

Sanciel and Theoran listened to Eugene's warning and nodded in understanding.

"Then we'll go now. Wait for us."

Eugene hummed and close his eyes.

It didn't take long for Kaizer to come back with fruits in his arms. Seeing this, Euge immediately sat down and look at Kaizer with sparkling eyes. Blushing, Kaizer gave the fruits to Eugene and said, "I got several fruits, eat this all and fill your stomach."

Audience: "..." What kind of love brain is this.

Please let them go.

Adults feel dizzy watching the scenes in the [screen] mirror and suddenly find it complicated how the proud son of Grand Duke Karsten wags its tail like a dog waiting to be praised by its owner. Though some find its funny, others are dissatisfied. After all, they knew the dark history of the Grand Duke, and seeing the son of the Grand Duke act like a servant to the son of Marquis Shradinza, they couldn't help but doubt if Kaizer would be like his father.

A16: "Do you think it's strange for a proud son of the Grand Duke to act like that?"

A18: "Hey I suddenly remember what happen years ago."

A20: "Shhh. If someone hears you, I'm afraid you'll get assassinated."

The magician and knights present who have a great hearing turn solemn and suddenly notice the strange attitude of the son of grand duke Karsten towards the son of Marquis Shradinza.

Who among citizens doesn't know the crime that Grand Duke Kasrten committed?

They're afraid if it's an ordinary noble, the three-generation would be executed so no shameful bloodline would remain. It's because it's Grand Duke Karsten that the empire created a new law of same-sex marriage to bury the crime of the war hero to avoid a death sentence.

That incident proves how incompetent the emperor is.

But what can they do? Even the citizens turn a blind eye because if the De la Vallier disappeared, they're afraid the empire will weaken.

Only the nobles knew who is in real power and how the royal family is only a puppet.

"Right, why are you here Kaizer? Where's your team?"

Kaizer pouted, "I got an emergency message that you are poisoned and no observers are around to get you out of the Sena forest for treatment so I was informed to heal you."

Timber hummed and said, "It must be good to be a dualist." while opening his mouth and eating the fruits that Eugene is giving him.

Kaizer, seeing Timber's spoiled face pursed his lips.

"Y-You why are you eating the food that I gave to Eugene."

Timber, with bulging cheeks, cover his mouth and said, "W-Who, who is eating?! I'm not! Eugene is feeding me!"

Kaizer:(ಠ益ಠ)

Raising his arms, Kaizer was about to hit Timber when Eugene glared and stuff the whole apple in Kaizer's mouth.

"Hit and I'll beat you."

Kaizer: ( ͡° ᴥ ͡° ʋ)

Audience: (ﾉꐦ ⊙曲ఠ)ﾉ彡┻━┻  What are you doing?! What are you doing?! Other teams are being beaten by beasts and you guys are there having the best time?! Look at your group points lowering! Move! Hurry, eat, and hunt more!

Zaoran and Reign watch the three feelings complicated.

"Are we allowed to see this?"

Reign with wide eyes also doesn't know so both only looked at each other and tacitly look at other places: "Sanciel and others will be back soon. After the meal, we will go back south to find shelter to spend the night and tomorrow we will continue to hunt."

Zaoran look above to see the scoreboard and sighed, "Our rank lowered but team 1 is still leading the list."

"It's fine, we still have time later night and tomorrow to increase our points."

After a while Sanciel and Theoran arrived but with them is the team of Kaizer carrying a dead boar. Seeing team 4, Rasiell became lively and teased everyone he found interesting. Casimin on the other side walks towards Kaizer's side and grabs Eugene's grayish hand with a frown.

Seeing his friend, Kaizer took a bite of an apple that Eugene gave to him.

"Nice timing Casimin, go detoxify Eugene."

Audience: "..." They finally remember the poison.

"What happens? How come you are poisoned?" Casimin asked full of concern as a magic circle appeared before them and patched Eugene's skin.

"Ngh." Eugene frown.

"You know it's painful but you let it erode your system?"

Eugene chuckled, "Good Del Viltaria, spare me, I'm just hungry so I ignore it, I have no plan to die yet. Probably in the future but not now."

Kaizer: "Don't say that, I won't allow you to die."

Timber: "No! No one's dying!"

Eugene rolled his eyes at Kaizer, "Are you a god? Is my life and death in your hands?"

Kaizer grinned, "I can steal the power of heavens to have your everything under my control!"

Everyone: "..."

Eugene: "..." 

Audience: "..."

Marquis Shradinza: "!!!" Say what?! The son of this annoying person is hitting on his son? No! That's not allowed! His son can marry anyone but he can't be with a Karsten or it will be a great humiliation for their clan!

Grand Duke Karsten: "???"

"Marquis---"

"NO!"

"I haven't said anything yet---"

"I said no!"

Grand Duke Karsten held his chin: "Oh, Marquis Shradinza do you care about your son?"

Marquis Shradinza gritted his teeth, "Eugene will marry a woman! Tell your son not to think of it because I will never be allowed Eugene to marry someone that won't benefit our household!"

"So your son's marriage is just a tool for you?"

"You have nothing to do with it!"

"But Marquis, other than our household, which household stronger than ours can benefit yours? I'm being generous here for the sake of acknowledging you as my future in-law. Besides, I'm not always a kind person Marquis, you know what I can do for the sake of my son's happiness."

Marquis Shradinza tremble.

"I would rather marry Eugene to the house of Del Viltaria than yours!"

Grand Duke Karsten paused and soon laugh out loud.

"Seriously hahahaha."

"Marquis should get treatment soon and get back your senses or you'll create the biggest mistake that you won't be able to change."

"It's not your time to educate me."

Grand Duke Karsten grinned, "Sure if you say so."

Inside the Sena forest, Eugene and others eat to their heart content not caring how they lose their rank to teams 2 and 3. Kaizer is thinking that nothing is more important than spending time with the person you like while all Eugene thoughts is that he'll just get back at night.

Clarence winged his sword and put it back on his scabbard, wiping the blood that splattered on his cheek, while looking at the scoring board.

Seeing Team 1 ranking third and Team 4 ranking fourth, he couldn't help but frown.

"Commander, team 1 and team 4 are already probably spending time to find shelter."

"Well. It's already noon, we should find something to eat first."

"Yes!"

Cadmus glance at the glowing number 1 beside their team's name and just snort.

"Team 1 and Team 4 are on break. We should stop for now and rest. You can all go and find something to eat and go back here right after so we can head south to find some shelter."

"Commander, there's something wrong."

"What?"

"Some team encounter an accident and now all of the observers are on their way to retrieve some team that lost their way. Seems like there is something like a gate that is transferring people to the secluded part of the forest."

"Where did you get the news?"

"I ran into one observer earlier and they told me to be careful and inform the others as much as we can to avoid more accidents."

Cadmus glance at the scoreboard and frowns.

"No wonder some team's score froze."

"Let's be careful, that is probably a gate that can transport you to a dungeon. Something might have happened because the gate opened. Be cautious about who you would bypass, it's better to be on guard in case something like a team ambush happens."

"Aren't that not allowed? We are just in the first game."

"Anyone can cheat just to win."

Eugene lay back on the ground after eating and stare at the scoreboard hanging above them, dazed. It's not that he's being conscious of the current rank of their team but somehow he just realizes something strange.

"Hey, something good happens."

Eugene grinned, remembering that the difficulty level of the first game had risen because a dungeon gate unknowingly opened and it was an invisible dungeon gate so some team got transported without realizing it. However, there is nothing to fear because this gate will have no monster inside but a strong illusion instead.

That's also the reason why the game is not suspended because there is no detected danger.

In the end, they made it part of the game since it's interesting to watch how students cope with their weakness and struggle with the illusion.

Timber: "What is it?"

"Hmmm. You'll know it soon."

Timber with full of grapes in his mouth didn't bother to ask for more and kept chewing and eating one after another.

"You like grapes?"

Timber nodded, "But I like strawberries more!"

Kaizer: "Eugene what about me? I like bananas!"

Eugene ignored Kaizer and keep staring at Timber's chubby cheeks, wanting to poke them but afraid that Timber will get choked because of it.

Kaizer: "Eugene look---"

"Shut up Kaizer if you still want to stay here."

Kaizer choked and shut his mouth.

Casimin could only sigh upon hearing Rasiel's loud laugh, mocking Kaizer's embarrassed face in delight. Rasiel only stop when Kaizer throw his sword that pass by Rasiel's cheek and struck on the ground. Seeing this, everyone averted their gaze and continue eating, ignoring Raisel's wronged expression and screams.

Casimin: "Stop being noisy Rasiel!"

Rasiel: "B-But Casimin, K-Kaizer throws his sword at me! look I have a scratch on my cheeks! My handsome face! My handsome face got damaged! Who will marry me now?!"

Everyone: "..."

Audience: "???" That is your problem?

Raisel collapses on the floor and cries like a child, cursing Kaizer's cruelness, wanting to sue while calling out his father. This made Duke Vladiermich panic upon seeing his wronged son and was about to leave to scold the grand duke when his wife dragged him back and glare at him.

"Take one step away from me and I will lock you in the dukedom with your son to reflect."

Duke Vladiermich feel wronged and hugged his wife saying, "Wife, I'm sorry, I'm just pity my son. With a wound in his face, who would marry my son? What If I won't have a daughter-in-law in the future? That can't happen, that's why I need to talk to the grand duke and let his son be nice to my son----"

"It's your stupid son's fault. Don't beg me or I will add scars to that brat's face!"

"Wife! How could you do that!"

"Let go and sit properly. Don't let me call a guard to drag you back to the dukedom."

Duchess Retisha gritted his teeth.

How could she fall in love with this stupid man in the first place?!

╰┈➤ ❝ [The author has something to say.] ❞

➊ Copyright 2022
➋ The writing is horrible. The logic is chaotic. Perfectionists should be careful.
➌ [Highlighted] Basically the paranoid shou villain hurting the female protagonist in the name of love and gets retaliated by the male protagonist and main villain, ended up transmigrating to another dimension in realization of his wrongdoing and decided to be a good person to pay back his past life sins. However, he was killed and travel back to his past only to wish for redemption.
➍ This story is self-abuse (basically the protagonist drowning in his past and can't get over it).
➎ 1v1 HE, a mix of sweetness and bitterness.

[Little Note]

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