“Hmm…?” Shi Mei turned around, confused. “What do you mean?”

Rolling his eyes, Samuel explained, “I just said ‘again’, didn’t I? I want to have the match again, same rules as the one just now. And, right now.”

“No, thanks for asking. I decline.” Shi Mei furrowed her brows, turning to leave once more.

“Why?” Samuel asked, getting up.

Closing her eyes, the girl replied in her usual emotionless voice, “You were rude. That is not the way you ask for a favour.”

Hearing her words, Samuel sensed a tinge of annoyance. He smiled bitterly. She’s definitely getting back at me for annoying her earlier. I’m sure of it. I can only…

*Cough!*

Hearing a loud cough, Shi Mei turned her head to look. Immediately, her eyes widened as she blinked rapidly, giving an unusually rich expression for her usual placidity.

“W-what are you doing?” She couldn’t help asking.

As if having not heard her question, Samuel recited, “Oh, virtuous lady of the monastery in the north, with a beauty as stunning as an angel of the legends and a heart greater than an ocean, I plead thee to acknowledge this lowly one’s earnest apology for his earlier misconducts towards thee. I, Augustus, humbly request the lady to bestow unto this lowly one the mercy of forgiveness, and hence request a spar anew, succeeding the one predated by this lowly one’s transgression towards the lady.”

While Samuel’s solemn voice filled the air, the boy’s expression remained solemn as he curled both his hands into fists, lining his right fist in front of his left shoulder while folding his left arm behind the back, giving a traditional Emritician court salute in earnest, neither lacking any gesture, nor a movement extra.

Thanks mom for drilling these things into me. The suffer—learning, it was all worth it. Samuel sighed internally, realising the usefulness of things he thought to be useless.

Looking at his actions, leaving Shi Mei at a loss for words, a pleased smile almost surfaced on his face, about to ruin the atmosphere he worked so hard to build. Realising the change, Samuel calmed his twitching lips; he did not let them arch one bit.

The girl opened her mouth to say something, but whatever she thought of felt inconsiderate. In front of Samuel, whose shamelessness came from deep within his bones, she was naught but a greenhorn, who couldn’t help but sigh while also feeling helpless.

In the end, she couldn’t help herself but reluctantly nod her consent.

Returning her nod with a respectful bow of his own, Samuel grinned inside. One-up-ing this girl before her washed away Samuel’s vexation from being played around by Yuan Mo as the latter liked, with the former being unable to do a thing, so as to not have pandemonium descend on the rest of the time he was to be in the monastery. First time after arriving in the monastery, Samuel felt truly refreshed.

Facing up at the sky, he smiled while stretching lazily.

Immediately, a thought crossed his mind. His smile stiffened. What if this was a part of that old man’s plan as well?

However, the next moment, he relaxed. It doesn’t matter at the end of the day. I’m the one doing it, knowing I can totally take a different choice than to play along. I can break off at any moment. As for anything else, if I can’t, Mom and Dad are there to handle it for me. Just how much trouble can I cause? Hehe…

A grin spread across Samuel’s face. A moment later, he began chuckling ominously, indulging himself in his thoughts to the point of enjoyment.

Looking at the scene uncomprehendingly, Shi Mei couldn’t help but feel a bit of worry. He seems a bit mentally unstable. Is he feeling a bit too much pressure? Should I talk to grandpa about him? He wouldn’t say I shouldn’t have done it and have talked to him beforehand, right? Or should I talk to him first instead? But then if I say something wrong…

With both kids lost in their own thoughts, the time passed quickly. Feeling his throat getting hoarse, Samuel recovered first. Looking at dazed Shi Mei, he coughed lightly to grab her attention, asking, “Art thee prepared for combat, milady?”

Annoyed, Shi Mei snapped back, “Alright. Fine. Stop that way of speaking already. I am already vexed that I didn’t understand half of what you said before.”

Hearing this, Samuel’s brows jumped. An evil grin surfaced on his face. Should I carry on speaking like this? Nah.

Yet, as soon as the thought arose, he felt it to be tiring and immediately shot down the idea, instead taking his stance and focusing on the task at hand—duel with Shi Mei.

What matters isn’t winning, but gaining the most benefit. Samuel reaffirmed. As long as there’s nothing that happens to my tiny little life, what’s a little pain for getting stronger?

Smiling confidently, he charged at Shi Mei, putting aside his pride as he attacked someone younger, all the while knowing he would be the one at the losing end. Yet, that didn’t cause his battle-spirit to waver. Instead, it burned brighter than ever. His innate love for combat, fueled by his deep-felt indignation, made him all the more resilient.

The boy could hear his own heartbeat, feeling his own blood grinding against his veins as it raged through within him. Although he somewhat started to think of people here as muscle-heads, at this moment, more than anything, he wanted to fight.

Feeling his will to fight, Shi Mei’s eyes couldn’t help but glitter intensely, her own desire to battle heating up. Looking at the boy charging, she took her stance.

*Thud!*

Yet, the will to battle was just that, the will to battle. It was neither an overwhelming strength nor any skill to bag the victory. Within two moves, Samuel was on the defending side, and another three later, his back landed on the ground with a thud, his entire body shaking.