Chapter 16: Trouble?

Noah looked at the packet in his hand again.

"...You had a company make custom juice for you?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"The ones sold in stores don’t taste good enough."

Noah stared at him silently.

Sometimes he genuinely couldn’t tell whether Asher was incredibly rich... or just insane.

Probably both.

Meanwhile, Aria took another small sip.

The flavor was smooth, natural, and surprisingly refreshing.

No artificial sweetness. No strange aftertaste.

It was easily the best juice she had ever tasted.

Of course, she didn’t say that out loud.

Then Asher spoke again.

"I also had them make different flavors."

"...How many?" Noah asked cautiously.

"I don’t know. Around fifty, maybe."

Noah nearly choked.

"Fifty?!"

"What? Variety is important."

Aria quietly placed the juice packet down.

"You truly live without worries."

Asher nodded immediately.

"Yes."

"...Must be nice," Noah muttered under his breath.

For a brief moment, silence returned to the table.

Then—

A loud voice suddenly echoed through the cafeteria.

"Asher Astrean!"

Almost every student turned toward the source instinctively.

A tall boy with brown hair stood near the entrance, surrounded by several students.

His expression was filled with irritation.

Asher looked at him for two seconds.

Then turned back to his food.

"...Who is that?" he asked Noah.

The boy’s expression twitched violently.

Noah lowered his voice nervously.

"That’s Victor Helios... Rank 12."

Asher took another bite.

Then added calmly,

"What does he want?"

The atmosphere in the cafeteria became noticeably tense.

Most students were already expecting another fight.

Meanwhile, Victor began walking toward their table.

His steps were sharp and heavy.

"You ignored me," Victor said coldly after stopping in front of them.

Asher looked genuinely confused.

"I didn’t know who you were."

A vein bulged on Victor’s forehead.

Noah suddenly felt a headache coming.

Why does every conversation around this guy become dangerous?

Victor took a deep breath, clearly trying to control himself.

"You’ve been acting arrogantly ever since you entered the academy," he said coldly. "Do you think defeating Rank 10 makes you untouchable?"

Asher looked at him for a moment.

Then—

"No."

Victor narrowed his eyes.

"Then why do you act like this?"

Asher tilted his head slightly.

"Like what?"

"Like nothing matters."

"...Because most things don’t."

The surrounding students exchanged looks.

How was someone even supposed to argue with that?

Victor’s expression darkened further.

"You think you’re special because the Headmaster praised you?"

"No."

"You think you’re stronger than everyone?"

"No."

"Then what exactly is wrong with you?"

"I don’t know," Asher replied honestly.

Noah nearly slammed his head onto the table.

Meanwhile, Aria quietly watched the exchange.

As always, Asher’s emotions remained calm.

Not mockery. Not arrogance.

He genuinely wasn’t trying to insult Victor.

That somehow made it worse.

Victor clearly realized it too.

And that only irritated him further.

"Fight me," Victor said suddenly.

"No."

The rejection came instantly.

Victor blinked.

"...What?"

"I already got what I wanted from the rankings," Asher replied calmly. "Fighting sounds tiring."

A few students almost laughed but held themselves back.

Victor’s face twitched.

"You don’t get to refuse after provoking people."

"I never provoked you."

"You ignored me."

"I didn’t know you."

"You’re doing it again!"

Asher looked toward Noah.

"Is he always this angry?"

Noah immediately looked away.

"I am not getting involved in this."

Victor slammed a hand onto the table.

Mana pressure spread slightly across the cafeteria.

Some nearby students tensed.

"Stand up."

"No."

"Coward."

"Okay."

Victor froze for a second.

"...Okay?"

"Yes."

"You’re admitting you’re a coward?"

"Well, I actually am "

The cafeteria became dead silent.

No one—

Absolutely no one—

Expected that response.

Victor himself looked completely stunned.

Most nobles would rather die than casually accept humiliation like that.

But Asher didn’t even look embarrassed.

To him, it genuinely didn’t matter.

Aria silently stared at him.

This person truly had no pride.

Or perhaps—

His sense of self simply wasn’t tied to other people’s opinions at all.

Victor clenched his fists.

For the first time since approaching the table—

He looked unsure.

Because how exactly do you deal with someone like this?

Insults didn’t work.

Provocation didn’t work.

Pressure didn’t work.

It felt like punching water.

Then Asher suddenly spoke again.

"If you’re done, can you move a little?"

Victor’s eye twitched.

"You’re blocking the light."

A few students immediately looked away to hide their laughter.

Noah straight-up stopped breathing.

Meanwhile, Aria quietly took another sip of juice as if nothing unusual was happening.

Victor stood there for several long seconds.

Then finally—

"...You’re insane."

"Probably," Asher agreed calmly.

In the end, Victor turned around and walked away.

Not because he had calmed down—

But because he genuinely had no idea how to continue that conversation anymore.

The moment he left, the cafeteria instantly exploded into whispers.

Noah slowly turned toward Asher.

"How are you still alive?"

Asher looked confused.

"What do you mean?"

Noah stared at him in disbelief.

"You casually insult nobles, annoy professors, and somehow make every conversation weird. A normal person would’ve been beaten up already."

Asher thought about it for a moment.

"Maybe I’m lucky."

"No," Noah replied immediately. "This is beyond luck."

Meanwhile, Aria quietly drank her juice.

Then she asked,

"Why did you refuse the duel?"

Asher leaned back slightly.

"Because i didn’t want to"

Aria looked at him silently for a few seconds.

"You really only act when something interests you."

"Yes."

Noah suddenly pointed at him.

"That explains why you actually try during training sometimes."

"I get bored."

"...And when you’re not bored?"

"I sleep."

Noah looked like he had finally given up trying to understand him.

Then suddenly, another student passed by their table while talking loudly to his friend.

Noah looked thoughtful for a moment.

"Now that I think about it... if you challenged a few more people, you could probably enter the top five."

"Too much effort," Asher replied immediately.

"You didn’t even move during your duel with Adam!"

"I teleported," Asher corrected calmly.

"That somehow makes it worse!"

Aria quietly watched him.

"You’re holding back intentionally."

It wasn’t a question.

Asher calmly drank more juice.

"Obviously."