CHAPTER 847: BETTING A MILLION

At Teacher Astride’s comment, every student turned toward Adam’s group. They recognised Elliot, but stared at Adam for a moment, as if trying to remember who he might be. When their eyes fell on the emblem of the House of Exorcism on his chest, most snorted. Another weakling. This year’s new student, to boot.

Adam shrugged at their loss of interest as he passed a member of the disciplinary committee. Across the room, the other members mirrored the first’s reaction, raising intrigued brows from behind their desks.

When he halted in front of Astride, she spoke without giving him time to answer. "I’ve been expecting you to join my class after you said you hoped to have the pleasure of meeting me again. But here you are, two weeks late and still unregistered. Were they empty words, or..."

She let her voice linger, her smile curving like a knife. "Or was it not Astride the teacher you wished to meet, but the committee’s vice leader, after committing yet another offence? Teachers Grimhilde and Louis, in your first week. That’s an achievement."

"One I could do without." Adam chuckled wryly. "As glad as I am to see you again, Teacher Astride, I must confess I did not come today to register for your class."

Leaning forward, she placed a hand on her hip. "Oh? I’m sure you’re about to explain why, then."

"The duels. I’m here to issue a challenge. Me against your best student, each betting points under your supervision. Winner takes it all."

"And why would I agree? Last I knew, students didn’t make up rules." Astride waved her palm dismissively, her laugh holding no mirth. But Adam noticed the surrounding students clench their fists, leaning toward him as if they’d beat him on the spot if not for the teachers’ presence.

Eventually, he wore his most annoying smirk and turned with a dramatic drop of his hands to his knees. "I... see. A pity, truly. I guess I’ll see if Maxwell’s best students have a modicum of courage. Here? I’m afraid I’ll only find beginners. Hiding behind their teacher. Who, in turn, hides their mediocrity."

His voice dripped with a condescension so transparent it was an insult in itself. Each added sentence was like a dagger driven through their pride, puncturing their egos and stoking the fire burning in their narrowed eyes. As if Adam could defeat even the top twentieth, much less the best student.

Astride’s brows trembled more than a fraying rope, her silence making her expression more intimidating.

A suffocating silence constricted the classroom. He endured the glares for a moment, then his footsteps shattered it like a countdown to indelible shame.

"Like hell you’re leaving on your feet today!"

A teenager barked first, and with it, the flawless discipline of the class collapsed. Wands were pulled, mana swirling at their tips as an uproar broke out.

"Come, arrogant bastard. I swear you’ll eat mashed potatoes for the rest of your life!"

"Insulting us and our teachers in our own classroom? Let me teach you a new word today: death."

The disciplinary committee members rose from their desks at once. But before they could punish Adam to defuse the situation, Astride’s voice boomed in a command.

"Enough!"

Spells froze on wands, the humming of mana fading back into silence. She glared at Adam, veins throbbing at her temples. "This student here believes he doesn’t need training, that he’s stronger by default. Perhaps because he can wield all the elements, or maybe because no one has put him in his place yet. You want to challenge us? No."

She shook her finger, hissing through her teeth. "You took my worry about your pathetic performance as a weakness. Now you’ll get shame, you’ll dive further into the negative, and you’ll walk back broken in spirit and body."

Adam halted, his eyes and lips taking crescent shapes. "Let’s bet a million points then."

Eyes widened and jaws dropped at the ridiculous number. Even Astride’s fierce expression gave way to a heavy scowl. Adam knew she was likely considering whether he was crazy or stupid. Whichever she chose didn’t matter, not when one million points would bury one House while making the other win the competition in the very first month of the year. She couldn’t agree. Still, he hoped it would help raise the ante.

As expected, she snarled at the ridiculousness a heartbeat later. "One thousand should be more than enough."

"Tsk. That’s stingy, teacher. How about double?"

She shut him down with a brutal wave of her hand. "One thousand. Dorian, teach him his place."

A teenager’s brown hair ruffled as he stormed into the central venue. His deep blue eyes were like a brewing storm above lips pursed with promised revenge. "Quick or slow?"

Adam tilted his head at the question, noting the horned mask emblem on Dorian’s chest, while Astride nodded.

"Make it quick to hammer the fact that he’s far from the best into his narrow mind."

"I choose slow, though. Give me a minute." Adam walked to Desmond, grinning. "Guess you were right about her pride."

Desmond gazed left, then right, before settling on Adam as if he enjoyed the commotion. Slowly, he closed his jaw and raised a thumb. "You’re mad, blue bastard. But I like it!"

"I don’t!" Elliot cut him off. He gripped his blond hair with twitching fingers, fighting the urge to pull it in despair. "You’ve made an enemy of everyone in less than two minutes! Not just the students, but the committee! Look at how they’re scrutinising you as if you weren’t even human anymore. Whether you win or lose doesn’t matter. They’ll monitor you, find the slightest excuse to deduct your points. All to get revenge for your audacity."

"They damn will." Adam winked at the worried boy. "That is, if my actions can’t back my words. Watch Elliot. This is the difference between arrogance and the self-confidence you must build."

Though his relaxed smile remained, a steely glint entered his eyes as he stepped to the opposite edge of the central venue, facing Dorian.