Chapter 142: Maybe I should send my beasts to tear him apart?

"Three more hours with this bastard..."

Kaiser muttered these words in the corridor as he headed toward the amphitheater where Raymond’s class awaited him. Just thinking about his voice was enough to give him a headache. If there were a contest to elect the most annoying and most racist teacher in the academy, Raymond Wilord would have won it without the slightest effort.

Beyond his contemptuous tone and constant arrogance, what irritated Kaiser the most was his relentless targeting of Kara. At every opportunity, he would bring up the so-called superiority of human nobles, as if reciting a universal truth. Every hour spent with him fed one very specific desire.

To smash his face in.

Or maybe destroy his family.

’Maybe I should send my beasts to tear him apart?’

Kaiser had considered both options, but he couldn’t be bothered. As long as Raymond didn’t cross a certain line, he would settle for ignoring him. For now.

"Every time I see him, I desperately want to rip out his tongue, make him eat it, then cut off his head..." Kara added behind him in a low voice filled with anger.

Kaiser slightly turned his head toward her.

"That’s a pretty vicious way to die."

He gave a soft chuckle. "And to think that beautiful face actually hides so much cruelty..."

Kara raised an eyebrow.

"That has nothing to do with my face."

She crossed her arms. "Being beautiful doesn’t mean I have to accept some asshole treating me however he wants."

Kaiser gave an amused smile and adopted an expression similar to old man Sulyvhan’s.

"You remind me of a rose."

Kara frowned.

"A... rose?" she repeated, clearly confused. Why had Kaiser suddenly started talking like one of those dying old men who can only speak in metaphors?

"Yes. Beautiful, attractive, but with thorns. Anyone who tries to grab it without thinking always ends up hurting themselves."

She stared at him for a few seconds, visibly perplexed.

"... I didn’t understand a word. Did you smoke some bad weeds when you got up this morning?"

He burst out laughing.

"In short, you’re cute," Kaiser answered. "As for the bad weeds... that wouldn’t actually be such a bad idea. At least I wouldn’t have to stay fully conscious during that bastard’s class."

Before she could react, he placed his hand on her head and began gently stroking it.

"Hey!" Kara protested, blushing slightly. "Stop petting my head if you’re not going to explain what that means!"

"You say that..." Kaiser replied with a teasing smile, "but you’re not doing anything to stop me."

Kara looked away, sulking. She didn’t want to admit it openly, but deep down she had stopped fighting herself about the truth. She actually liked it when Kaiser stroked her head.

"You’re really annoying..." she finally muttered with a sigh.

After a few minutes of walking, they finally reached the amphitheater. Several students were already seated while others were still entering the room. There were about ten minutes left before class began.

Kaiser and Kara sat side by side, a little toward the back.

Little by little the room filled up, until the main door suddenly opened.

Raymond Wilord entered.

Silence fell almost instantly.

"I hope you all had a good night," he began in a neutral voice.

"Not really..." complained a student in the front row, clearly trying to get his attention.

Raymond barely glanced at her.

"Anyway, I couldn’t care less."

He took out a tablet and continued without the slightest hesitation.

"Good. Today we will look at several types of strategies to implement in group combat."

He took a few steps in front of the podium.

"As the future pillars of this nation, you will undoubtedly have to face enemies. Perhaps not a demonic invasion — which I sincerely hope we never see. The idea of those vile creatures setting foot on our beautiful land once more would be a tragedy."

At the mention of demons, several students grimaced, their imaginations already running wild. Some looked nervous. Others displayed misplaced enthusiasm.

Idiots who surely believed war was something glorious, nothing more than a means to gain more wealth, recognition, and women...

"... but you could just as easily face betrayal from those half-beasts, for example."

Raymond gave a contemptuous smile. "In any case, those savages are capable of anything when it serves their own interests."

Kara clenched her fists. Kaiser felt her aura shift beside him.

He calmly raised his voice.

"Don’t we all act out of self-interest, Professor?"

Raymond stopped dead and turned his head toward him. It wasn’t the first time Kaiser had challenged him so brazenly. It pissed him off, but he couldn’t do anything about it.

Kara was practically the only half-beast in the room, so obviously every one of his remarks was directed at her. And every time it happened, Kaiser defended her.

"Besides, when it comes to betrayal, I believe it happens everywhere. In every race and every social class."

Kaiser paused. "One of the seven great families even betrayed us by joining those vile Spectrum creatures you seem to despise so much."

A murmur ran through the amphitheater.

Several students exchanged surprised looks. Some seemed shocked that Kaiser dared bring up that incident in front of a teacher, and especially in this context.

Raymond was clearly furious.

"And you continue to claim," Kaiser went on unflinchingly, "that in terms of ability, human nobles are superior to half-beasts."

He gave a slight shrug. "Yet so far, there is no proof of what you’re asserting."

Raymond’s face tightened.

"Lord Paragon..." he began in a strained voice. "I am truly disappointed to hear such words coming from your mouth."

He took a deep breath.

"With all the resources made available to nobles, as well as the extensive research into magic and martial arts, it goes without saying that we can assert our superiority. Unlike a race that fights purely on instinct, without structure or discipline."

Kaiser smiled.

"What if we put your claims to the test, Professor?"

A heavy silence fell over the room.

Raymond narrowed his eyes, but after a moment’s thought, he finally accepted the challenge. It seemed he had something in mind.

"Let’s do it then."

He cast a contemptuous glance at Kara. "If our representative of the half-beasts here isn’t paralyzed by fear, we can arrange a fight."

Kara stood up immediately.

"Of course I’m not afraid. Send anyone you want, I’ll tear them apart."

Her tone was firm, without hesitation.

Raymond gave a confident smile.

"What arrogance..."

He turned his head toward a student seated nearby. "Eugène. You will fight her."

The young man straightened up, visibly proud to have been chosen. In any case, he was just as insufferable as his teacher. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say he was a miniature version of Raymond.

Even though he couldn’t provoke Kara whenever he wanted for fear of retaliation from Kaiser, today was different. He had the professor behind him.

"Let’s head to the arena," Raymond concluded.

Kaiser watched the scene, satisfied.

This time, it wasn’t just for Kara.

It was also for the sheer pleasure of watching this bastard completely lose his composure.