First Move, Checkmate: How Will You Respond?

“Hennie? Is that really you?”

“Why are you here?”

Erica Duquois was surprised and happy. She didn’t expect to run into an acquaintance after coming to the back mountain of the academy.

However, she was also curious about what Hennie was doing on this deserted mountain top.

Seeing Erica, Hennie’s previously cold demeanor disappeared in an instant. Her eyes evaded Erica’s gaze and her responses were somewhat stuttering.

“No, nothing… I’m just here for a walk.”

Erica was unaware of Hennie’s expulsion, and Hennie had no intention of telling her. She didn’t want to cause Erica any worries.

However, Erica’s appearance did surprise Hennie, and she asked:

“Why are you here?”

“Why haven’t you been at the academy?”

Upon hearing Hennie’s questions, Erica explained indignantly:

“My father, for some inexplicable reason, confined me for several days when he returned.”

“And yesterday, he even went as far as to hire several private tutors for me.”

In reality, Duke Rivierre had warned Erica to limit her interactions with Victor. It was because of this that Erica learned from Duke Rivierre that Victor had returned.

By the Royal Family’s decree, both were found innocent.

But she couldn’t tell Hennie any of this.

So, Erica, in a bad mood, kicked a stone on the mountaintop. The stone rolled down the cliff, making a crisp sound.

“I just couldn’t stand it anymore today. I snuck out while my father was not at home. I just wanted to come to the school to see if Professor Victor was here.”

Erica had planned to sneak into the Academy from the back mountain, but she ran into Hennie.

Upon hearing Victor’s name, Hennie’s heart fluttered.

She recalled what Professor Devon had said.

‘Professor Victor is likely dead in the volcano.’

This thought lingered in Hennie’s mind, but she didn’t share it with Erica.

Erica seemed to be unaware of this, and Hennie decided to keep it a secret.

Looking at Erica breathing in the fresh air of the mountaintop, Hennie calmly said:

“Professor Victor hasn’t come back. I’ve been covering his classes for the past few days.”

Upon hearing this, Erica was somewhat disheartened.

She was eager to learn from Victor what exactly had happened on the volcano that day.

But now, after all her effort to sneak out, Victor was not even at work.

Helpless, Erica had to accept reality.

“Alright then, I should go back now.”

“If my father finds out I snuck out, he will certainly confine me at home again.”

Just as Hennie was about to say something, she saw Erica hesitate for a moment, then continue:

“I’ll come back again tomorrow. If Professor Victor returns, let me know.”

Hennie nodded, agreeing to Erica’s request.

She saw Erica leaving cheerfully, her eyes full of anticipation, and then she quickly turned and left.

‘How wonderful it is, she…’

Hennie’s gaze was full of envy.

She envied Erica.

Erica had a prestigious background, astonishing talents, and flawless beauty.

She could live carefree, full of anticipation for life.

And what about herself?

Living in constant fear, every day seemed hopeless.

It seemed just as the professor had said.

‘Garbage belongs in the garbage heap.’

In her daze, she looked again in the direction where Erica had disappeared, but she could no longer see her dazzling figure.

Hennie shook her head, as if laughing at her own miserable situation.

Tomorrow, huh.

That’s good.

She no longer needed to look forward to the future.

Everything, including herself,

would come to an end tomorrow.

“Let’s continue.”

……..

A surge of scorching flames suddenly erupted beneath Professor Devon’s feet. The instant, intense burning sensation shot through his soles and jolted him awake.

Professor Devon felt a searing pain all over his body.

“Ah!”

He was instantly alert, a scream escaping his lips due to the pain.

Then, he became acutely aware that he was bound, his body swaying as it hung from the ceiling.

The flames dissipated, clearing Professor Devon’s vision considerably.

The first thing he saw was Victor, sitting in a chair, his expression cold and indifferent.

Instantly, fear filled Devon’s eyes.

“Victor! What the hell are you trying to do?”

“You’re going to kill me over a teaching assistant? Have you gone mad!”

“Do you really want to make an enemy of my family, the Leiseths!”

Victor sat in the chair, coldly watching him, and casually asked:

“Have we not been enemies?”

Devon’s voice faltered, he hurriedly said, “No… we weren’t before. Trust me, Victor, there’s no hatred between us.”

“Then why, knowing Hennie is mine, would you do that?”

Devon’s eyes widened.

“You… you knew all along?”

“No! Trust me, Victor, at first I just didn’t like you, but I didn’t mean to take it out on that… Hen… what’s her name…”

Boom!

A fireball, like a charging tiger, rushed towards him and hit the wall behind.

Devon, frightened, began to tremble all over and quickly said:

“Hennie! I remember now! Hennie! The girl is cute, yes!”

“I’m so jealous! I’m jealous that a teaching assistant like her could teach a class. Do you know? After you left, many professors envied that class, leading a class comes with high benefits and fame.”

Victor looked at him emotionlessly.

“Just because of jealousy?”

“How ugly.”

“Yes! Yes! I’m ugly, I’m very ugly! I know, I know it! Please, Victor, let me go, there’s no hatred between us!”

Devon, like a struggling pig in a slaughterhouse, his ridiculous look would only make others laugh.

He seemed to be promising something, kept saying:

“I will apologize! I will apologize to the girl!”

“I can give her a lot of compensation! I can get her a noble title! A young female baron, how about that? We, the Leiseth family, have the capability!”

“Trust me, Victor, if you let me go, there’s no deep-seated hatred between us that can’t be reconciled… right?”

Devon’s ugly face showed a very hopeful expression.

Victor’s cold voice sounded:

“What did you say at the beginning?”

Devon was taken aback, and tentatively said:

“Kill me over a teaching assistant, are you mad?”

Victor nodded approvingly.

“Good memory, what was the second sentence?”

“…Do you really want to make an enemy of our Leiseth family?”

Devon was not stupid, he seemed to realize something.

At this moment, he completely abandoned his identity and frantically pleaded with Victor.

“No! Victor! I was just being impulsive!”

Victor stood up, his coat flickering with a dangerous red light.

“You don’t like me because you understand me.”

“Since you understand me, you should always remember what kind of person Victor Clayvin is.”

Devon began to tremble all over, he was scared.

Madman! Victor, he’s a madman!

“Victor! Don’t… don’t…”

Boom!

A scream, akin to the slaughter of a pig, exploded from Devin’s mouth, accompanying it was the sound of bones shattering.

He felt every limb of his body breaking, the pain was unbearable.

The only reason he remained conscious was because Victor had applied several magical shackles to his mind, forcing him to stay awake and endure the agony.

“You said there’s no feud between us, that doesn’t matter.”

Victor suddenly laughed, a bright, radiant laugh.

He leaned into Devin’s ear, his voice soft, reminiscent of a demon’s whisper.

“Now, we’re enemies.”

“Kill me! Victor! Kill me!”

Devin was in so much pain that he wished for death. He would rather die right now than stay awake under such humiliation and torment.

But now, he couldn’t even commit suicide.

“Perhaps someone will take your life, but that person won’t be me.”

Victor harshly wiped his hands with a white handkerchief. Even though he hadn’t touched the other man, he still felt as if his hands had been dirtied a lot.

After wiping, he threw the handkerchief onto Devin’s face, covering the tear-streaked face.

Upon the release of Devin’s shackles, he instantly fainted.

Now, the world was quiet.

Victor squinted his eyes and left the Mage Tower.

Accompanied by teleportation magic, Victor appeared outside the academy, looking at the sky that was about to go dark, he took a deep breath.

The surrounding magic elements appeared somewhat chaotic.

At this moment, Veega’s voice rang in Victor’s ear.

“Someone has intentionally hidden a magic formation under the academy.”

“Perhaps it’s the work of a demon.”

Victor wasn’t surprised at all, so Veega didn’t say more.

It knew Victor would handle everything. It opened its beak, asking another question.

“If that girl is truly corrupted by a demon, what will you do?”

Victor thought for two seconds, then answered:

“Hennie is a very smart assistant, I feel at ease when she’s working for me.”

“She’s a weak little thing, but she shouldn’t continue to be pitied.”

Veega stood on Victor’s shoulder, shaking its feathers.

“I like your way of thinking.”

…

Night fell like a curtain, countless tiny but bright gems climbed onto the night sky.

By the time Erica arrived at the manor, the house was already brightly lit.

Her heart thumped, her dear father hadn’t returned, had he?

“Don’t be afraid, as long as I act cute, father will definitely forgive me.”

Erica took a deep breath and was about to enter the courtyard.

But then, the front door suddenly opened.

Her father, Duke Rivierre, escorted a beautiful woman with purple hair out, his face wore a polite smile.

“Huh???”

Erica was a bit stunned.

Her father was already sixty, where did he meet this strange woman?

Planning to relive his youth?

Erica pouted, she would definitely not allow such a thing to happen.

She didn’t want to suddenly have a stepmother.

Erica was about to rush forward, but then she caught their conversation.

“I hope Duke Rivierre will pay more attention to those ‘dirty things’.”

“I understand the seriousness of this matter, Miss Caifla. I will use all available resources for the investigation.”

Erica froze in place, a bit confused.

It seemed that the situation was not quite as she had imagined?

However, her rash action had already attracted the attention of the two.

Duke Rivierre turned to Erica, raising an eyebrow, he introduced with a somewhat sarcastic smile:

“Miss Caifla, this is my daughter Erica, I believe this is the first time you meet.”

Caifla looked at Erica Duquois, her beautiful brows arching as she squinted her enchanting eyes.

“Mmm, indeed it’s our first meeting, but…”

Her lips curled into a smirk and in the next moment, she had already appeared in front of Erica.

Her speed was so swift that Erica couldn’t catch even a hint of her movement.

“Pretty girl,” she asked, “could you tell me where you’ve been today?”