Chapter Nine: The Beginning of Frustration (Part One)

As soon as he returned to his residence and the door clicked shut, a burst of wild laughter erupted from Kuangchi. Zixia waved her hand, dismissing the four sisters of the You family as well as her own two maids, before turning to Kuangchi with a hint of exasperation. “Fatty, you really went a bit too far today. Even if Pierre is deeply in love with Phoebe, you shouldn’t have treated him that way. And you clearly used the energy of the Divine Beast just now—how could you try to argue your way out of it with the vice-dean? What if they manage to find real proof in the future?”

Kuangchi stopped laughing, snorted, and replied irritably, “What do you mean, used the Divine Beast’s energy? I said I didn’t, so I didn’t. Even if I did, it’s as if I didn’t. The Divine Beast is mine—how could they know better than me? If they keep pushing, I’ll just claim that it was energy that came with my own whip. That weapon of mine is simply a long vine from Xiaohua. They can’t possibly say that a part detached from the Divine Beast can’t carry some residual energy. That’s just ridiculous.”

Zixia regarded him, sighed long and softly, and went on: “So what will you do next, Fatty?”

“What do you mean, do next? Is someone else going to challenge me to a duel?” Kuangchi replied, genuinely puzzled.

Zixia shot him a glare. “Rest assured, as long as the Academy hasn’t figured out whether you really used the Divine Beast’s power, and considering how badly you humiliated Pierre, no one else will be foolish enough to duel you. Still—” She paused before continuing, “You obviously drew upon the Divine Beast’s power, and plenty of people noticed. But your situation is too unique; no one can find concrete evidence, so no one wants to get entangled with you. No one would be so foolish as to get caught between the Kuang family and the Hyde family. I doubt even His Majesty would want to, let alone anyone else, or any other noble.”

Kuangchi grumbled again, still furious. “Who told that pretty boy to try and steal my fiancée? Even if that wildcat really doesn’t like me and doesn’t want to marry me, he should at least wait until I break off the engagement before going after her. Now, he’s shamelessly pursuing my fiancée in the open—that’s an insult to me, to the entire Kuang family. The fact I didn’t kill him today was already merciful.”

Zixia chuckled softly. “What’s this, Fatty? Are you jealous?”

Kuangchi snorted again, his tone sour. “It’s not jealousy, it’s anger. I want revenge. I won’t let that pretty boy off.”

Zixia shook her head, helpless. She knew, deep down, that she was, after all, this chubby fellow’s fiancée. Even if she thought he was being excessive, there were some things she simply couldn’t say or do in this situation. Otherwise, many would suspect she was deliberately sowing discord between Kuangchi and Phoebe Karachi.

And persuading him to let go—that was even more impossible to suggest. If she said the wrong thing, both the Kuang and Karachi families might blame her. Given the current circumstances, both families were eager to push through with the marriage alliance.

The next day was the start of classes for Kuangchi’s cohort of new students. To foster camaraderie and connections among the students, the Imperial Academy used the most traditional classroom system.

Take Kuangchi’s class, for example: ten classes in total, each with nearly two hundred people, each with its own dedicated classroom, and nine class sessions every ten days. The rest of the time was for independent activity.

On the surface, the way students were assigned to classes seemed fair—it wasn’t based on individual strength. However, the scions of powerful families tended to end up in the same class. Dividing the boys was relatively simple; the real headache was with the girls. Most of the noble young ladies came to the Imperial Academy with husband-hunting in mind.

The most eligible bachelors became the obvious targets. If a girl could end up in the same class as a golden catch, she’d have more chances to interact and thus a higher chance of reeling him in. Every year, the most troublesome issue for the Academy during class assignments was how to distribute the girls.

Of course, whenever there was a beauty of particularly high quality, the number of lustful young men wanting to be in her class would skyrocket, and requests and backdoor maneuvers would multiply. Human nature, in all its glory, would once again have its stage.

Kuangchi, belly thrust out, swaggered his way to the classroom where he’d be spending the next ten years.

The moment he walked in, Kuangchi was stunned. If it weren’t for the large sign above the door clearly marking “Class 43250182,” he’d have thought he’d wandered into a land of women.

Damn it, everywhere he looked, all he could see were girls.

But the girls didn’t seem interested in Kuangchi at all. When they saw him at the door, they all tacitly snorted and turned their heads away.

Kuangchi had no interest in women at the moment. No matter how pretty they might be, could any of them compare to his two fiancées? He didn’t even care much for Phoebe Karachi, so why should he bother with these passably attractive girls? He grunted in displeasure and picked a seat by the door at random.

Seeing Kuangchi so oblivious, so thick-skinned, completely unfazed by their cold shoulder, the beauties simply ignored him and went back to their own conversations.

Throughout the entire day, not a single person spoke a word to Kuangchi, and at last, even he began to feel uncomfortable.

Especially since, damn it, in this ridiculous Class 43250182, he seemed to be the only male; everyone else was female. That made him even more depressed.

Someone was obviously messing with him. Everyone knew his looks didn’t appeal to women, and after what he’d done yesterday—beating up the Academy’s top heartthrob so badly his own mother wouldn’t recognize him—how could any of the beauties here possibly show him a kind face?

For other men, such a scene would be a dream come true—a single green leaf among a sea of blossoms. Even a blind cat would end up catching a mouse or two, let alone a living man.

But Kuangchi already had two fiancées, both with extraordinarily powerful backgrounds. It would be difficult for anyone to outshine them. No girl would want to get entangled with him.

Add to that his current appearance and yesterday’s arrogance, and no noble beauty would ever beg to become the Kuang family’s young master’s concubine.

Kuangchi spent the whole day in frustration, little knowing that there were even more people upset than he was.

The wolves in the other classes, upon discovering that all the beauties were missing from their own classes and had been assigned to Kuangchi’s, were beside themselves. The families hadn’t paid the Academy’s exorbitant tuition fees for nothing; there were conditions: either distinguish themselves and make allies for the family, or, at the very least, improve relations with powerful families. Or, failing that, find a beauty at the Academy and forge an alliance by marriage.

For minor nobles, this was imperative. For the great nobles, even more so—a powerful match would bring their own family new partners, a higher status, and greater power. What could be better?

Now, with all their targets snatched away, how could they not be anxious and frustrated?

But the truth wasn’t quite as Kuangchi imagined—there wasn’t some deliberate plot against him. In reality, it was the girls’ families who had insisted the girls be placed in Kuangchi’s class, so there were even more people upset and angry about it.

The beauties in Kuangchi’s class were all there at their families’ behest, sent to get close to Kuangchi. They had no right to refuse and could only reluctantly join his class.

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