Without any hesitation, Marcus stabbed the steak with his fork. Forcefully, a piece was cut off and pressed inside the mouth. Annoyed, the butcher cut off another piece and shoved it too into Marcus’ mouth. While the son was suffocating, the butcher spoke calmly, “Didn’t I tell you, you shouldn’t eat like a pig?”

Quickly downing a cup of water, Marcus yelled loudly, “To hell. Even then you shouldn’t shove another piece in my mouth! I almost died to that!”

Ignoring his son, the butcher smiled at Libertas, saying, “Please take care of my idiotic son. He is sometimes on the slow side, but he is a nice kid. Never mind his table manners, you shouldn’t bother him when he is eating. You should start eating too.”

Hearing this, Libertas briefly glanced towards Marcus before he quickly looked back at the butcher. It seemed that Marcus had already forgotten his rage. Currently, he was contently shoving quickly one piece of steak after another into his mouth. After quickly chewing on it, he swallowed it. Then he moved on ravenous for more.

The butcher chuckled when he noticed Libertas’ gaze on his son. After eating for a while in silence, the butcher asked, “Something puzzling me about you. Your white skin tells me you could be from the high nobility. However, your hands are rough, which shows that you have done heavy works.”

The butcher raised his hand and showed it Libertas. Then he deftly grabbed Marcus’ wrist and showed his palm too. After the butcher released his grip, Marcus pulled his hand annoyingly back. Quickly he snorted back at his father before he resumed eating again. Smiling with bared teeth, the butcher continued, “Don’t you think they are similar? Anyway, I am asking, do you know butchery?”

Libertas replied instantly, “N-”

However, he faltered in his decision. He glanced downwards to the bracelet at his wrist. The small jewels around the exquisite engravings faintly glittered. If he declined to know butchery, wouldn’t it too dismiss Friedrich's effort to teach him butchering? He couldn’t do that.

He didn’t like butchering, but he too didn’t wish to dismiss the efforts others have done for him. Biting on his lips and clenching his fist, he looked up determined. Nevertheless, the words still came out hesitatingly and shaky, “Yes, but I only learned it for a short time….”

While the butcher nodded his head understandingly, he spoke, “You are still young, then, of course, you can’t have learned it for a long time. If you want, I teach it to you with my son. Although your butchery doesn’t seem like the usual righteous one, you can still adapt to mines. Anyway, you should better forget what you currently know. It should be more harmful than helpful to you.”

Seeing the emerging frown on Libertas’ expression, the butcher quickly waved his hand. Subsequently, he hurried to say, “Ah, don’t take it as me looking down on your style butchery. It is only that your butchery,… it doesn’t felt like,… how it should be done. It is more like it has gone wrong somewhere.”

With a deeper frown and a soured expression, Libertas questioned harshly back, “On which reason can you say that? You have never seen me butchering! Never do you know the one who taught it to me. Why are you saying this?”

Smiling wryly, the butcher replied with a slightly awkward expression, “How should I say that. It is only a feeling. An intuition formed after long years of experience as a butcher.”

“Oh.”

After hearing that, Libertas’ expression instantly became impassive. After he gave a short exclamation, his attention turned back to the meal. Seeing this, the butcher heaved a long sigh.

Marcus looked up. His gaze quickly wandered between the other two. Then he sighed too and laid the cutlery down. He rubbed his hands against each other as he exasperated complained to his father, “Dad, didn’t I tell you, you shouldn’t trust you feeling so much? Anyway, give me another serving.”

Taking the plate, the butcher hit lightly on his son’s head. Then he entered the door at the left. Seeing this, Marcus smiled weakly at Libertas. Following, he tried to speak enthusiastically. However, his voice didn’t appear confident, “Hey, don’t take my dad’s word seriously. You know how to butcher, right? Then who cares if it has deviated, or not? Let us butcher after dinner, alright?”

Libertas shook his head. As Marcus saw that, he sighed shortly. Rubbing his hands against each other, he asked weakly, “Then shall I show you around the school?”

“Yeah, thanks.”

At this moment, the butcher came back with a filled plate. After laying it in front of his son, he sat back down at his chair. Then while taping with his fingers against the table, he said, “I am sorry for just now. I shouldn’t have said that. I didn’t intend to look down on it. Hence, can you please show it to me? Only like this, can I make a clear picture from it. I will try not to rely on my experience. Will you give me another chance to teach you with my son?”

Shaking the head, Libertas took another bite. Then he told Marcus, “I am very grateful for your kindness, but I would like to decline. Currently, I don’t wish to learn butchery. Maybe next time, alright?”

Smilingly, the butcher’s head slightly drooped, “I see…. Yeah, maybe next time.”

No one spoke any more. Soon the dinner passed in silence. Standing up, Marcus let his cutlery fall inside the plate. Seeing this, Libertas similar stood up. After taking the plates, the butcher asked, “Are you going now? Then have fun together! But before that, tell me at least, wast s the steak delicious?”

Instantly, Libertas looked up, only to gaze upon an Orc instead of the butcher. His hands trembled, his eyes widened, and his breathing hastened. Swallowing the bit of saliva in his dry mouth, he forced out a smile. Nodding his head stiffly, he replied, “Yeah, thanks. Marcus let us go now.”

“Ah, yeah. Bye, dad. See you soon!”

The butcher waved his hand as he saw the kids off. After they left, his hand immediately slumped down. Wearily, he brought the plates to the room at the left, while sighing, “Just what should I do? Hah, furthermore, that spirit artefact….”

Later, somewhere in the school was Marcus leading Libertas around. As Marcus stood proudly in front of a large field, he stated, “If you want to take any missions and need for that to meet up, then you will likely do it here. Furthermore, most of our practices will likely happen here. The headmaster does here his announcements too, like the welcome speech this morning.”

After seeing Libertas nodding his head, Marcus pointed at a distance building, saying, “This is the cafeteria. You can go there for free meals. However, be warned. The food isn’t that good. Anyway, let’s move on. I will now show you our class.”

Quickly they entered a building near the cafeteria. After briefly showing the class, Marcus prepared to leave again. However, Libertas froze in his step. His eyes widened in surprise. Seeing this, Marcus followed the gaze and a mischievous smile emerged on his face. Poking against Libertas’ shoulder, he teased, “Is this love at first sight?”

Annoyed, Libertas hit back with his elbow. Then while he scratched his head, he said, “Nice to see you again. Is your father all fine? How about you, Maria?”

With a bright smile, two tears rolled down the cheek. The sad eyes livened up. Pouncing, Maria hugged Libertas. Subsequently, she yelled, “Brother! You are fine! Da, Daddy said, yo, you won’t see Maria again! He lied! An evil liar!”

After being stunned at first, Libertas’ expression relaxed, and a smile emerged on his face. Then he hugged her back before brushing through her hair. All of a sudden, someone pushed them forcefully apart. Startled, Maria fell to the ground.

A boy with a raised nose stood between them now. Pointing his finger at Libertas, he shouted, “Who do you think you are? Scram!”

After he said that, he immediately turned around. Slightly bowing, he stretched out his hand. Following, he said, “Maria, please let me help you up again.”

However, Maria slapped the hand away instead of accepting it. Snorting, she stood up on her own before she yelled with her finger pointed, “Who do you think you are? You are only a prince and nothing more! Do you know who he is? He is the heir of an ancient cultivation family, protecting our world! Without his family, we all would be dead by now! Do you understand this?”

The prince looked taken aback. Then he laughed loudly. Smiling with his chin raised, he told ridiculing, “Maria, stop joking around. Look at him, how could he be? I don’t know what he told you, but everything he said is only a lie! Maria, come, let us go. We shouldn’t concern us with them. Nothing good will happen by knowing them. They are only a liar and a savage.”

The prince grabbed after her hand, only for Maria to slap him in the face. She pouted angrily with her red cheeks as the prince flinched in pain. A mischievous grin broadened, and instantly, a force slammed the prince against the ground. With a belligerent outcry, Marcus grabbed the wrist of the prince, “Attack of the Savaaaaaaage!!!”

Libertas stared dumbfounded at that sight. A prince was cleaning the floor with his clothes, while a fat boy was forcefully dragging him around with an evil laugh. However, before he disappeared behind the next corner, he still shouted, “Leave this to me! Take care of your girl! See you later!”

Hearing this, Maria blushed a little as she turned her head away from Libertas. Seeing this, Libertas blushed a little before he coughed, “Well….”

Looking up, Maria smiled, showing her teeth. Then she burst out in crisp laughing, “You truly have quirky friends!”

While Libertas awkwardly scratched his head, he stared stunned at Maria. Then he burst out laughing loudly too, “Haha! Yes, he is truly my quirky friend!”

Shortly afterwards, Libertas exhaled, exhausted from all the laughing. With a soft smile, he said, “Well, you still haven’t told me, if your dad is fine.”

Pouting annoyed, Maria remarked angrily, “I too haven’t told you if I am fine!”

Chuckling, Libertas shrugged with his shoulders. Then he gestured at her while speaking, “Aren’t you fine now? If you weren’t fine, could you have laughed that happily and freely? I doubt that.”

Vexed, she stamped heavily against the floor before she snorted, “My dad is fine, only crying sometimes. He lied to Maria, must be regretting it now! Never mind evil daddy! What about you? Which class are you in?”

“I am fine too. Anyway, I am in Class D and you?”

Instantly, Maria’s eyes widened. Subsequently, she jumped and pounced once more at Libertas. She was embracing Libertas once more. While she rubbed her head against Libertas’ chest, she replied, “Same class!”

When Libertas saw that, his mouth twitched unwittingly, then he shook his head while he chuckled dryly. With a soft sigh, he brushed through her hair as he asked curiously, “Do you know in which class that prince is?”

Her arms were still around Libertas as she nodded her little head. Joyfully, she hummed, “Same.”

Hearing this, Libertas groaned, “Ah, what a pity! It will definitely become annoying with him here.”

Pouting, Maria retorted, “NO! He isn’t that bad!”

“Are you sure?”

After stamping on Libertas’ right foot, she let go of him and stepped away. Subsequently, she spoke, “Yeah! Thinking about it, he is actually quite nice….”

At this moment, her stomach growled. Promptly, she blushed and turned her head away. Looking at her own feet, she quickly said, “Brother, see you later. I, I have other things to do! Bye!”

After saying that, she swiftly turned around before she ran with all her might away. Seeing this, Libertas chuckled, while shaking his head. Sighing in bliss, he asked himself, “Now, what should I do?”