[Alice Zenovia(fierce beauty): I asked as Alice Zenovia]
[Michael: In that case...Yes, I have more than two Soultraits!]
After he used Spirit Whip against Lincoln, he figured that everyone could find out about his third Soultrait by rewatching his match with Lincoln a few times. It was highly likely that everyone would figure out his secret about Spirit Whip sooner or later.
But so be it. It happened, and Michael didn't regret fighting Lincoln with everything he got.
He lost fair and square while giving his all. That's all that counted.
Furthermore, some people awakened three Soultraits. It was extremely rare, but it had happened in the past.
'I cannot afford to play around anymore. Don't be stupid and get your act together!' Michael shouted at himself inwardly.
Nobody would pay attention to him while he was this weak. Even if someone paid attention to him, what would he become? A bully's target? That was definitely not what he wanted to happen. He would never allow anyone to bully him again! That time was over!
Michael didn't speak about his third Soultrait directly, but Lincoln and Zeke figured that Michael had been hiding a trump card. They were astonished, but not as much as Frederik who was shocked to the core. He stared blankly at Michael for half an hour before he stormed off.
He couldn't believe that his rival had been hiding something as important as a third Soultrait all this while.
They had been sparring for so long, yet Michael never used Spirit Whip against him. What did that mean? Did Michael not think of him as a rival on equal standing? Was Michael trying to make fun of him and consider him a rookie?
You cannot even defeat me when I'm just using two Soultraits. How are you supposed to deal with me when I start using my mental attacks as well? Will you even be able to materialize wind blades before I beat you into a pulp?
Various scenarios flashed through Frederik's mind – one worse than the other in which Michael mocked him. He grit his teeth and left the arena, stomping his feet angrily. Frederik needed some time for himself.
Breathing heavily, he reached his room where he blanked out, asking himself what the hell he was supposed to do.
'Is he hiding more? What if he has a fourth Soultrait? What if he never went all out against me? Even if I complete the first stage of the Wind Sage's Sacred Body refinement technique…will I be able to beat him? He is just an ordinary peasant without any backing, yet he can retaliate against one of the High Nobles' descendants in a fight…I was just standing there blankly…'
Frederik slumped onto the edge of the bed in his room. The creaking bed muffled the heavy sigh that escaped his lips. He almost yanked his hair, feeling like his purpose in life was slowly losing its meaning.
'So what if I'm the only heir of the Kolbenheim family? I'm totally useless. I cannot even defeat Michael. I'm not even strong enough to clash with the descendants of the High Nobles. What am I even good for?'
'All this training…more than a decade of constant training, studying, stress and constant nurturing…a vast fortune invested by my family…just to create a loser…' Frederik cursed himself in his mind, punching the bed harshly.
He grit his teeth until his jaw hurt and clenched his fists until his fingernails dug deep into the soft flesh of his palms.
"This cannot go on like this," Frederik blurted out after a long time of silence passed.
He opened the starnet messenger on his crystal watch and took a deep breath.
"He said I shouldn't message him…but if it's about this, he wouldn't mind, right?" Frederik asked himself while nibbling at his lower lip.
"Whatever. What's the worst that could happen?" He asked before typing the first message to his father after he, and his future father-in-law sent him and Jacqueline to the aptitude assessment and the Saphirelake Military Academy as a punishment.
Meanwhile, Jacqueline was searching for Frederik. She didn't know what was going on in his mind lately, and that worried her more than anything else.
'Who cares whether we're not as strong as these prodigies? It doesn't matter as long as we have each other. You idiot! Don't be that prideful, and come back to me!!!' She screamed in her heart, while her eyes got teary.
Jacqueline couldn't hold back from sobbing quietly on the way to his room. Why was it important to be stronger than everyone else? Couldn't Frederik be happy with just her by his side?
For the first time in her life – and the 16 years she and Frederik had known each other – Jacqueline felt the distance between herself and Frederik grow. She was also surprised to find out that Michael had grown strong enough to fight and defeat both of them simultaneously, but she overcame the shock quickly.
Unfortunately, Frederik was not the same. His confidence had been crushed just like his pride.
It was all Michael's fault. Ever since he had appeared in their lives, Michael caused nothing but havoc.
"I won't allow you to take Frederik away from me!" She screamed as she ran through the hallway, "Just wait for me to beat you up. Nobody takes my Frederik from me….NOBODY!!"
Jacqueline opened starnet messenger on her crystal watch as well. She first wrote a message to Frederik, telling him that she would take care of everything before she opened another chat with her father.
"If you don't help me, you're dead to me dad!" She cursed loudly, while furiously typing a message.
Just as the Barbaric Couple went through their first crisis, Igor Kolbenheim and Karek Orlando were having dinner together. They met up occasionally to talk about their territories, how to develop them, and what to focus on next. Their businesses inside and outside the Origin Expanse were tightly intertwined, forcing the two to work together by all means.
Igor and Karek clinked their glasses and savored the refreshing taste of their cool beer. They enjoyed the well-cooked dishes and their company, completely oblivious to what their kids were going through.
However, their moments of silence and peace didn't last long.
The sound of multiple notifications rang through the room simultaneously, which caused the two men to lower their forks. They opened the holographic screen on their crystal watches and stared at the messages that had popped up in front of them.
[Son: I know that I'm not supposed to message you for a while, but this cannot go on. I know it's too early, but I need the upgraded version of Wind Sage's Sacred Body Refinement technique. I started the Basic Mind Refinement practice, but it's not enough. It's not fast enough. I need to get stronger. I need the Soul Strengthening part as well…Dad… please!!!]
Igor Kolbenheim stared blankly at the message in front of him. A few more messages from Frederik made it seem as if he was on the verge of breaking down. It was the complete opposite of Frederik's usual behavior. It was worlds apart.
'Is the Saphirelake Military Academy that terrifying? I heard from a few High Nobles who had sent their children to the Military Academy earlier…but to think that he broke that quickly! I thought they just arrived in Kelta yesterday,' Igor thought, lowering the holographic screen in front of him to see his friend and watch his expression distort slowly.
[My Little Princess: Dad, send me the newest version of our family's Inheritance technique! I don't care if the Hybrid form is not ready for use. I don't care if the 'synergy' between mind, body, and soul has yet to be improved. I need it. NOW! If I don't beat up someone soon, he'll take Frederik from me!!!!]
[My Little Princess: I swear, if you don't send me the technique, I'll cut ties with you. DADDD message me back ASAP!!!!!!]
[My Little Princess: DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADDDDDDDD!!!!]
Karek Orlando's face paled all of a sudden. His face was wiped off of all its previous joy and a heavy sigh escaped his lips.
'What…is going on here?
The middle-aged men looked at each other, their expressions speaking volumes.
"You too?"
"Yours sent a message as well?" Karek Orlando asked with a trace of hope in his voice.
Frederik was usually not as ill-tempered as Jacqueline, but he could be just as demanding as his spoiled little princess. That was what Karek hoped for.
Unfortunately, Karek's hope was crushed when Igor showed Karek the message Frederik sent to him.
"I see…your son asked for the upgraded Hybrid Form…" Karek mumbled absentmindedly.
The joy he felt from finally being able to spend some time off work disappeared. A sour feeling replaced his happiness in an instant.
Igor noticed that something was wrong, and he saw the last message Jacqueline sent to her father.
"It's fine. Your daughter is hard to crush. Look at it positively," Igor said, trying to console his best friend, "Our children are finally ready to face reality. If they stay motivated and keep striving for strength we won't have to worry about the future. Isn't that a good thing?"
"Hmm…is that so? Well…my daughter threatened to cut ties with me…so…I guess I will send her the technique…" Karek responded half-heartedly.
Igor had never seen Karek so miserable. However, looking at the messages Jacqueline sent her father, Igor could fully understand how Karek must feel.
'Good thing Frederik is a lovely son,' Igor thought before he squinted his eyes at the realization, 'Scratch the lovely. He is a spoiled brat, who finally faced a wall he cannot climb on his own.'
Even though he felt a little bit sorry for Karek, it was a first for both Frederik and Jacqueline to make a request like this. Usually, they took everything they'd been given, but that was already it. They used the resources at their disposal, but they wouldn't ask for more. Normally, they were content with what they'd been given.
But that was not enough anymore. Something had changed, and Igor felt a little excited at that.
His son made his first request, and he even said 'please'. Both were a first, and it happened much sooner than both Igor and Karek had estimated and hoped for.
"Good thing that we focused our research on the Soul Strengthening part of the techniques. Let's send them over and wait patiently," Igor said before he patted his friend's back.
"Maybe the Saphirelake Military Academy will improve Jacqueline's attitude as well. We can only hope for the best!"
If the Military Academy was not enough to change Jacqueline, there would still be Michael.
Michael could beat some sense into the pampered little princess, and he was more than willing to do so!
