Chapter 244 - 49: Trapped in a Situation, Where is Freedom?!
To convince the other party that she had the ability to send someone to work part-time at the Serene Wizard’s potion shop, she had to resort to such a measure.
Indeed, it’s been a long while since she last acted coquettish towards this guy, Link Grande.
He was always cold and aloof, showing little interest each time.
With this thought, Jasmine tugged at Link’s sleeve with her left hand. Her watery green eyes pleading pitifully, she spoke in a childish, sweet voice, “Link, you won’t blame me for taking the initiative, will you?”
As she finished speaking, Jasmine herself shivered.
The cheesiness had gotten to her.
No wonder this guy seldom responded to her in the past.
So this is what it feels like.
She certainly won’t act coquettish easily in the future.
Jasmine quickly stopped her act, sat upright and started reading as if nothing had happened before.
Betty, who had clearly witnessed everything, had her mouth wide open in utter surprise.
Had the eldest managed to hold onto the big shot with such dramatic contrasts? She had learnt something new!
Link glanced at Jasmine, who was pretending to be fine, and sighed, but didn’t say anything.
Just let it be.
As long as she didn’t act coquettish all the time.
“What happened?”
Buck and Linn dragged in Dalton with a slightly bruised eye back to the classroom, and noticed that Ezio, Digee, and the Social Phobia Group trio were acting strangely, so they couldn’t help but ask.
All five of them shook their heads relentlessly and not a single one dared to utter a sound.
They had never seen the boss angry before, but they knew that the eldest sister could get rather violent during witchcraft practice.
Not to be messed with!
The questioning trio understood immediately.
This was a question not to be asked.
They better continue contemplating how to handle Hawk Lucia’s targeted actions.
From the boss’s standpoint, it seemed they were being prepared to give it a try themselves.
Well, why not?
We never back down.
Meanwhile.
North District, the “Pure Blood Will” headquarters.
Hawk Lucia gathered all the Lucias currently studying, excluding himself, there were five in total.
One third-grader, three second-graders, and one first-grader.
Sophie Lucia and Tracey Lucia were among them.
There were actually Lucias in the fourth-grade, but Hawk didn’t bother to summon them since he wouldn’t be able to.
First, he glanced at Tracey who had just finished recovering from her injuries, then at Sophie who looked a bit uneasy, and lastly set his gaze on the two second-grade Lucias.
The two Lucias stared back at Hawk without panic.
Hawk sighed first and said, “It’s okay for us to have some internal strife within our family. But we must unite when facing the outside world.”
Before he could finish speaking, one of the second-grade Lucias arrogantly sneered, “How do we unite? By cleaning up the mess caused by a fool who has no sense of her own identity?”
The other Lucia didn’t completely disregard Hawk like the first one and spoke in a more peaceful tone, saying, “We just want to study in peace, at most gain some resources from within our clan, we have no intention to attach ourselves to Lord Zoran. So, don’t come to us for such things in the future. If there’s nothing else, we’ll take our leave.”
Having said that, they didn’t even seek the opinion of Hawk, whose face had suddenly turned livid, and left the “Pure Blood Will” headquarters without further ado.
Hawk watched as the two left with a gloomy face, then turned his gaze to Sophie and sneered, “Do you see? This is your interpersonal relationship, even failing to get along with your own clan brothers. To be honest, if it hadn’t been for Lord Zoran’s order, I wouldn’t have bothered to help you.”
As he spoke, Hawk leaned back to make himself more comfortable: “I have arranged for someone to deal with that guy Link Grande, but it is just this once. Whether we succeed or fail, I won’t bother with this tedious matter anymore.”
“Oh.”
Sophie responded gloomily.
Her recent life was becoming more and more unbearable.
Ever since Cousin Zoran decided to help her get rid of Link Grande, but failed because his subordinates messed up, her reputation in the family had dropped further.
As she watched that bumpkin progress and gain momentum, her mood became increasingly complicated.
Did she really make a mistake right from the start?
Hawk didn’t pay attention to a sulking Sophie, looked at a depressed Tracey and let out a soft sigh.
He swallowed the words of rebuke that rose to his throat.
Tracey had already suffered from Lord Zoran’s criticism and punishment, so he shouldn’t add salt to her wounds.
“Alright, stop sulking. It’s as if I owe you Magic Stones.”
Hawk got impatient. Nothing went well today, irritated, he waved his hand, “You guys can go, I don’t want to see your long faces.”
Tracey and Sophie hung their heads and left Hawk’s office.
Soon, the door swung open again.
Bobby Smith, the co-vice president of “Pure Blood Will”, walked in.
“What, are you still brooding over that matter?”
Seeing Hawk’s somber expression, Bobby Smith asked with a light smile on his face.
As if Hawk’s troubles were a source of joy for him.
” Stop being sarcastic.”
Hawk glared at his friend and retorted, “Instead of enjoying my misery, why don’t you help me think of a solution?”
Bobby shrugged his shoulders, playing innocent and said, “That’s a Lucia matter, what does it have to do with a Smith like me?”
“Lucia, Lucia…”
Hawk sighed, “Now, how many Lucias even realize that they are Lucias before they think of themselves?”
Bobby scoffed, “Have you become the Lucia Clan Leader, or joined the Lucia Elder’s council to be worrying about this? In my opinion, you shouldn’t even be too concerned about this Link Grande issue. You should live your own life, focus on becoming a full wizard – it’s much better than dealing with these trifles.”
Hawk still paid heed to his friend’s words.
And he knew they made sense.
But, everyone had their own woes.
Wouldn’t he too want to cast aside these troubles and live his own life peacefully?
Regrettably, his band lacked powerful individuals. He had to rely on Lord Zoran.
With a sigh, Hawk self-mockingly said, “Do I even have a life of my own? I’m just a chess piece in the hands of the bigwigs, to be moved and to be used as they please. When will I even have a say?”
Upon saying this, Hawk changed his tone, “But I really don’t want to deal with this mess anymore. Let it be.”
“You should’ve let go long ago.”
Bobby laughed, “But it’s not too late now. At least you and Tracey tried, unlike the other Lucias who only stood by and watched. In the end, you two won’t be blamed.”
“I hope so.”
Hawk leaned back, looking at the ceiling, and let out a long sigh, “Oh, the lack of freedom! When will I regain it?”
The start of a new week.
There’s new gossip on the “forum”.
An anonymous tip disclosed that Andriya Norman, who earlier publicly accused some North District apprentices of relying on their power to bully people, was caught red-handed committing some malpractice during a job she took over the winter break.
And she willingly became an informant, not out of obligation, with the goal to destroy the evidence against her.
Who would’ve known that she wouldn’ t be able to clean up her mess, only getting herself deeper into trouble, and resorting to making a scene on the “forum”, seeking sympathy and support to relieve herself of the mess.
Upon seeing the ludicrous news go viral, Andriya couldn’t help but step in to debate and defend her innocence.
Who’d have thought her opponent wouldn’t even engage her directly, instead posting Andriya’s whereabouts during her break?
Then they dropped a bombshell:
You owe someone a large amount of Magic Stones, when will you pay it all back? If you can’t repay, be ready to sell yourself!
Andriya was left speechless at that moment.
The spectating students relished in the drama.
This twist was something else.
Sell herself?
Was the selling yourself thing even genuine?
Andriya’s reputation on the “forum” polarized in an instant.
Her supporters argued that this was a deliberate smear campaign by the North District apprentices – why else would they remain anonymous instead of coming forward?
Her critics countered, if it was indeed a smear campaign, why didn’t Andriya assert that she didn’t owe anyone any Magic Stones?
Both sides were bolstering their arguments, a heated exchange ensued.
Despite the fierce debate, not a single person took the initiative to empathize with Andriya.
Ultimately, they were just reveling in the drama.
Did anyone truly support Andriya?
No!
Andriya looked at the chaotic thread of comments on the “forum” and was momentarily unable to discern who was indeed targeting her.
The people from the North District?
Or was it Link Grande?
If it was Link Grande, as she suspected…
Andriya shivered, feeling a chill run down her spine.
That guy really had the nerve to even kill.
But she felt reluctant to follow orders and provoke him again.
However, being in this situation, she had no choice.
Despite knowing that a cliff lay ahead, she had to walk towards it nonetheless.
Being a chess piece, a puppet, never ended well.