"Hey, repeat student, how do you still have the nerve to stay at the Academy? Didn't you hear the other departments are all laughing at us because of you?"
Naturally, Lee Kiwook had no intention of entertaining the childish provocation. "Don't worry. Sooner or later, they'll be the ones envying you."
The boys were stunned for a moment, then glared and snapped, "Huh? What's that supposed to mean?"
"All right, all right, don't fight. The God of Light loves children who live in peace."
Elion who hated seeing conflict raised a hand to place himself between them, he accidentally blurting out a line from the prayers he usually used to calm children.
The noble boys grew even angrier. One of them shoved Elion and gave him a disgusting face. "Get lost! What right does a lowly commoner like you have to talk to us?"
Elion staggered slightly from the shove. He frowned at the insult but said nothing more, though he didn't back away either.
"Enough!" Leon, who had been watching from the side, finally stepped in to put an end to the ridiculous scene.
He cast Lee Kiwook a complicated look. He hadn't expected that the swift-footed mage from earlier would turn out to be the Academy's infamous repeat student.
Conflicting emotions of gratitude and frustration clashed in his chest, his opinion swinging up and down before finally settling somewhere in the middle.
Crossing his arms and raising his chin, the icy tone in his youthful voice carried both anger and pride. "And what right does a lowly baron's son have to make such a racket here?"
The three noble boys spun around in fury, but the moment they caught sight of the family crest on Leon's collar, their expressions changed dramatically.
To someone from the House of Baelsar—an earl's family—barons were barely a step above commoners.
The boys didn't dare act up anymore. Swallowing their rage, they stormed off toward the door while muttering bitterly, "Tch! These easterners really are a race forsaken by the God of Light. What kind of mage could they ever be?"
Now that's just lame regional slander.
Lee Kiwook didn't intend to stoop to their level, but that didn't mean he was spineless.
He stared at them for a long moment before finally calling out to the retreating boys.
"To be honest… I only know one spell."
The young mages already knew he wasn't very skilled but they hadn't expected him to be this bad.
Even Elion widened his eyes in disbelief, looking at Lee Kiwook like he'd just told a really bad joke.
The boys were just about to laugh mockingly when they saw Lee Kiwook raise one slender, pale finger and continue calmly, "But to deal with you guys, one spell is more than enough."
???
Even someone as prideful as Leon had never uttered something so bold.
He glared at Lee Kiwook, frustrated beyond words. "Do you even realize what you're saying? Just because you can run fast doesn't mean it makes up for—"