Charles stood by the fountain, but the sound of hurried footsteps and murmuring voices snapped him out of his thoughts.
He turned his head and saw a group of clan members approaching the courtyard. Some wore gray tunics like the man from the dining hall, others black.
Their faces showed curiosity as they took in the scene: puddles of water, the two unconscious guys, and Charles, soaked to the bone with a bruise starting to bloom on his forehead.
"What happened here?" a woman at the back whispered, covering her mouth. "Those are Toren Vask's sons. Who'd dare…?"
"Did someone help Rian?" muttered a man. "No way he took down two Mentors on his own…"
Charles frowned, feeling their stares boring into him.
Before he could say anything, a burly man pushed through the crowd.
He wore a gray tunic with a leather belt, his short gray hair glinting in the light.
His eyes narrowed at the unconscious guys, then locked onto Charles.
"Rian Cole," he said, his deep voice cutting through the air like a hammer. "What the hell happened here?"
Charles took a deep breath, trying to stay cool.
"They picked a fight with me," he said, pointing at the knocked-out pair. "I defended myself. That's it."
The man let out a dry laugh, like he'd just heard the most ridiculous joke ever.
"What? You defended yourself against them?"
He crossed his arms, sizing Charles up with contempt.
"Cut the crap, Rian. You've got no powers. There's no way you beat Toren Vask's sons, both Mentor-rank. Tell me who helped you, and make it quick before I lose patience with your lies."
The crowd murmured in agreement.
"Yeah, why's he lying?" a voice piped up from the group.
"He can't control water to pull off something like this."
"Does he seriously think he's on a Mentor's level?"
Charles clenched his fists, frustration building in his chest.
He didn't get why they were so insistent he couldn't have done it alone.
But then, a faint memory flickered in his mind.
Rian, in this same courtyard, getting beaten by those two guys while others walked by, ignoring him.
'Why are they so worked up now?' Charles thought, confused.
Weren't fights common around here?
Or was it because this time he'd actually won?
Before he could sort out his thoughts, a familiar figure emerged from the crowd.
Lira Cole, his half-sister, stepped out from the dining hall, her brow furrowed, clearly drawn by the commotion.
The crowd parted as she approached, some bowing their heads in respect.
As the daughter of Kraus Cole, the Storm Clan's leader, her presence shifted the mood instantly.
"What's going on here?" Lira asked, her voice sharp as she surveyed the scene.
Her blue eyes flicked from the unconscious guys to the gray-haired man, then settled on Charles.
The gray-haired man stepped forward, jabbing a finger at Charles.
"This idiot claims he took down Toren Vask's sons all by himself," he said, his tone dripping with disbelief. "Won't say who helped him, though it's obvious he couldn't have done it alone. Those two had a fight scheduled tomorrow, and now look at them."
Lira raised an eyebrow and turned to Charles.
"You," she said, her voice cold as ice. "Stop screwing around and tell me who's responsible for this. Now."
Charles sighed, fed up with the accusations.
"It was me," he said, meeting her gaze head-on. "I did it. No one helped me."
Lira blinked, caught off guard for a split second, but then her eyes narrowed. She stepped closer, invading his personal space.
"What did you say?" she asked, her voice low and dangerous. "Say it again."
Was Lira looking for a fight now?
"It was me," Charles repeated, holding her stare.
He wasn't backing down, not after what he'd pulled off.
Sure, his body ached, and his wet tunic made him shiver, but he felt like he could take her on with the trick he'd learned.
Lira studied him up and down, as if trying to figure out if he was lying or just crazy.
'Rian's acting different… Did he really take these guys out alone?' she thought.
The crowd fell silent, waiting for her reaction.
Finally, she let out a short, dry laugh.
"How interesting," Lira said, crossing her arms. "If that's true, then you're going to have to prove it."
Prove it?
Even though Charles had managed to use that power, his hands felt numb now.
"I'm reporting this to the leader," Lira continued. "Since you left those two in that state, you'll take their place in tomorrow's fight. Get ready."
'Oh, they're giving me time to recover? That's a relief,' Charles thought, letting out a breath.
In adventure games, it was common to get a rest area after a boss fight, so this eased his nerves.
The crowd parted quickly to let Lira pass, some whispering among themselves as she vanished down the hallway.
"Rian's going to fight?" a man said, incredulous.
"He's gonna get crushed for sure…" a girl commented, laughing.
The gray-haired man shot Charles a mocking look before walking off, and slowly, the others dispersed too.