Mage Manual

Chapter 47: Chapter 45 Don’t Blame Me_3

“Just because Lauren said something unpleasant, you’re charging into battle alongside Felix?”

Sonia was no longer a child; liking or disliking was not her only principle in taking action.

All she wanted now was to grow unobtrusively; she had absolutely no interest in a friendship with Felix, and this was her best opportunity to make things clear—if she really fought Lauren alongside Felix, it would be nothing short of confirming the suspicion of them being “lovers.”

No matter how she thought about it, withdrawing from this vortex was the wisest choice.

Lauren no longer paid any attention to Sonia, scoffing, “It seems Felix, your charm isn’t that great after all.” @@novelbin@@

“You misunderstood,” Felix said indifferently, untying his sword bag and taking out a wooden sword, as the atmosphere tensed to a breaking point.

Just when Sonia thought she could skive off the lesson, a hand suddenly landed on her shoulder.

“This is unreasonable—a battle with such great disparity in strength, what’s the difference from bullying? As a member of the Disciplinary Committee, I can’t allow such unilateral crushing to occur.”

An impressive-looking orange-haired swordswoman, holding onto Sonia’s shoulder, pushed her forward. Sonia turned her head, only to see the swordswoman’s badge pinned to her chest: “Sword Flower Disciplinary Committee: Reonie Victor.”

“It’s senior Reonie!”

“How could she appear at the school?”

“It’s the Orange Dancer herself!”

The orange-haired swordswoman pulled Sonia into the middle of the field, her grip tight as a vise; Sonia had no way to break free.

“Felix junior, Sonia junior, you two should communicate more. If Professor Trozan knew that you two can’t even manage mutual aid and affection, he would be very disappointed.”

The orange-haired swordswoman looked at Sonia with a smile full of meaning.

“While it’s true that Lauren may be suspected of bullying, you two are Professor Trozan’s research apprentices; him bullying you is tantamount to insulting the Hidden Hand Sword Saint. How can you swallow this indignity? You know, Felix is now not only representing himself but also representing that he’s one of only two apprentices of Professor Trozan. Sonia junior, you understand this logic, right?”

Sonia reluctantly nodded, then shook her head, “But this is their personal grievance…”

“The moment Lauren issued a challenge against both of you, even if it’s for the sake of upholding the reputation of the Hidden Hand Sword Saint, you must accept the challenge. Besides, with two against one, the odds are so great, refusing would simply appear too cowardly.”

“As sword masters, you should have the courage to advance unflinchingly and the confidence to reason with swords! If you defeat your enemy, you are the one in the right!”

“Sonia junior, what do you think?”

The moment the orange-haired swordswoman brought up Professor Trozan, Sonia knew this battle was inescapable.

Regardless of whether Trozan actually cared or not, Sonia dared not risk it.

Trozan was her biggest backer at the moment; anything that might jeopardize his impression of her was a risk she couldn’t afford to take, let alone with hundreds of people watching. The news of her shrinking back, disregarding Professor Trozan’s face, could spread throughout the Sword Flower within ten minutes.

But she detested this feeling: being manipulated, being forced, being schemed against, and having to take part in a fight she didn’t want to join!

A strong sense of frustration and shame fermented within her, causing Sonia’s shoulders to tremble slightly.

But she was the girl who had come to Jiale City alone from the countryside; she quickly regained her composure.

However, just as she suppressed the dissatisfaction in her heart, a familiar voice sounded by her ear.

“Do you need my help? I promise I can get rid of your annoyance.”

“Yes!”

“This is a promise from your own mouth, I’m going first, don’t, blame, me.”

The Observer walked behind Sonia and after speaking, vanished into the air.

The next second, Sonia looked at the orange-haired swordswoman.

“Sonia junior, your decision now is—?”

“I refuse!” Sonia shook her head determinedly, “I will not get involved in their private grievances, I will not fight alongside Felix, I will not battle senior Lauren!”

The orange-haired swordswoman raised her eyebrows slightly, “But in that case…”

“But!”

Sonia looked at the orange-haired swordswoman and with forceful clarity, said her piece.

“As an apprentice of Professor Trozan, I cannot tolerate you repeatedly provoking me with Professor Trozan’s reputation in my presence, I cannot tolerate you trying to stir up student sentiments to question the quality of Professor Trozan’s teaching, and I cannot tolerate you using our victory or defeat to tarnish the character of Professor Trozan!”

“I didn’t—”

“No need to explain, as you said, if you conquer your enemies, you are the one in the right. So—”

Sonia undid her sword bag, took out her wooden sword, and pointed it directly at the orange-haired swordswoman.

“Reonie Victor, I challenge you.”