"You…"
Octavius pointed at the girl standing in front of him, his hands were trembling and his mouth was twitching, clearly, he didn't like what he was hearing.
"Do you really not want to learn from me?"
He questioned with difficulty.
All this time, his heart was heavy, he couldn't believe how the student he taught for so long had decided to leave him.
He felt betrayed…
However,
"Headmaster, please do not be like this," Isabel spoke up.
"The only reason I accepted being your student was you allowing me to leave in case Teacher Orion returns and takes me in as his student. You were the one who offered this in the first place. As an honorable man, I am sure that you will not go back on your word."
Isabel made it clear.
She was not the one in wrong here.
She didn't betray anyone.
Rather, she had always been straightforward with everyone, not playing any sort of mind games with anyone, especially not with the Headmaster of the Agresia Academy, the man she, in her heart, treated like her own grandfather.
Octavius glanced at the girl standing in front of him and couldn't help but shake his head and sigh.
Then, he glanced at Orion and trembled in rage.
This bastard! Even though he had the potential to be the strongest Swordsman in the entire world, he decided to leave all that behind and left with that girl.
Honestly, Octavius hated the couple, it was such a waste of his son's talent. Even though he knew Astra was an amazing woman who genuinely loved Orion, he didn't care. The only thing he could see was the wasted potential.
Anyways, Orion had left, Octavius believed that considering his son's personality, he would continue to roam around that girl and would never return.
That was the entire reason he made that offer.
If not, how could he possibly give away this seedling to someone else? After Orion, Octavius had been looking for a successor, someone whose talent touched Orion's and someone who would follow his will to reach the summit of swordsmanship.
Declan was the first candidate, the moment Octavius laid eyes on that child, he understood that not only that child's talent was higher than Orion's, his eyes had the hunger that the younger Orion had. The hunger to devour the entire world.
Declan was a perfect candidate, someone who would achieve extraordinary things in his life.
However, he had one problem.
He was a member of the Dawncrest Family.
Not to mention he was one of the Direct Descendents, a Prospective Heir with the highest chances of inheriting the family. Someone like him wouldn't possibly take him as his master since the implications were simply too much.
And just as he expected, Declan rejected his offer in an instant.
Octavius had given up, but then suddenly, this girl joined the Academy. A commoner with no background, a trash Sword Technique that even the weakest of the Sword Family wouldn't give to even the lowest of their men. A technique so pathetic that it could only be cultivated to the peak of 1 Star level.
Isabel, however, was different. Even with everything holding her down, the girl still managed to reach the 2-star level. Yes, just using her instinct, she was able to alter the technique passed down to her, reducing its flaws and reaching the next level.
She was a genius.
Probably as monstrous as Declan.
Not to mention she was an Orphan with absolutely no support whatsoever. Taking her in would have no sort of implications whatsoever.
Instantly, Octavius's hopes lit up. He wanted nothing more than to recruit this girl, however, before that, he wanted to see how she would perform on her own.
A mistake on his part.
He shouldn't have tried to test a genius.
The instant Isabel entered the Academy, she grabbed knowledge like no one else. She was one of those few students who attended all the classes without fault.
While for others, these classes were only there to form connections and grow, she wanted to learn.
And she learned at a rate so horrifying that even the professors couldn't believe how a child who started from zero reached a level where she could put any lower noble sword family student to shame.
It wasn't just her knowledge that had grown, the technique she was using, with more knowledge, combined with her trusted instincts, she continued to change the technique, upgrading it and finally breaking through and becoming a 3 Star Swordswoman.
Her rate of improvement was insane, and Octavius was extremely satisfied by her performance, what he didn't know however, was that Isabel, who had become the Professors' favorite because of the keen interest she showed in their classes.
Had started to learn more and more about another Sword Division student who had once ruled over the Swords Division.
Orion Ravenshadow.
It didn't take long for Isabel to start idolizing Orion.
The more she heard about him, the more she wanted to know about him, she started to actively seek Professors just to talk about Orion, the Professors didn't feel like holding back either. After all, Orion was a student they were all proud of, they wanted to brag how they were able to teach such a student and continued to reveal all of Orion's achievements to already influenced Isabel.
And now, the influenced Isabel, who knew that Lord Orion was still there somewhere, instantly rejected Octavius when he offered her to be his student.
Octavius was heartbroken, no matter how he tried, Isabel didn't accept it, in the end, he had no option but to take Isabel as his student, under the condition that she is allowed to leave in case Orion returned and accepted her as a student.
Something that he never thought would happen, yet…
Here he was, standing in front of Isabel, and the smiling Orion.
"Father, you can't possibly be thinking of going back on your word, are you?" Orion questioned. This was the man who used to beat him up in the name of training, however, seeing this expression on his face, Orion couldn't help but snicker inwardly.
He was definitely enjoying this.
"You damn brat! Don't you dare speak right now!"
Octavius, on the other hand, was even more enraged when he heard his child.
Then, he completely ignored Orion's presence and,
"Isabel, do you really want to leave? Why even bother? Learning from someone like him? Wouldn't it be better to learn from someone who taught him in the first place? Why don't you take your time and think about it?"
Octavius spoke.
Isabel, however, shook her head.
"Headmaster, please do not make this difficult for me."
She spoke in her usual, emotionless tone, this time, however, her eyes were slightly misty.
Noticing that Octavius just sighed in defeat,
"Alright alright, don't look at me with those eyes. You can go away."
He was quick to give in the moment he realized that Isabel was about to cry.
Just like Isabel, he had also started treating her like his Granddaughter. What Grandfather could possibly see his child cry?
Even Octavius was not that heartless.
In the end, he glanced at Orion, and, n0In
"She is a good child, you better make sure she grows stronger or I will personally come and deal with you."
"Don't worry father, she will be in my care now." Orion spoke with a genuine smile on his face as he bowed.
After all the fun and games, Octavius was still a man he respected. He may tease him a little, but this didn't mean he was here to disrespect him.
Copying her new teacher, Isabel bowed her head as well.
Octavius gently ruffled her hair and,
"Now leave, don't bother me anymore."
He waved his hands.
"Headmaster…" Isabel wanted to say something, however, Orion held her hand and,
"Let's leave."
Isabel stared at Orion, Orion nodded and in the end, the two of them left.
Octavius heaved a heavy sigh once the two left. In the end, he still couldn't train a student that would stand at the peak of Swordsmanship and just like his dream of pursuing the peak, he would also be handing this dream of his to his child as well.
"You little brat…"
Octavius snorted.
…
"Teacher…"
On the other hand, Isabel, who left Octavius's room together with Orion had a strange look on her face.
Orion, however, shook his head,
"Don't worry, that is just how he acts. He is not angry at you, rather, I assure you that he deeply cares about you.
You better not forget him okay? Keep visiting him every once in a while."
"But students cannot meet the Headmaster without being invited…"
"It doesn't matter,
You aren't a normal student in his eyes. So make sure you continue to meet him and show him how much you have progressed."
"I understand."
Isabel nodded.
Orion nodded back with a smile as the two continued to walk. Then suddenly,
"Teacher…"
Isabel called out.
"Hmm? What is it?"
"What is the Vesta Family like?"
"Why the sudden question?" Orion couldn't understand.
"I will be joining the family soon, so I should know something about it, no?" Isabel questioned, however,
"Haah…?"
Orion suddenly paused.
