Chapter 17 : Confrontation

Owen and Via had no prior interactions, no real beef.

His accusation baffled the crowd.

“I heard from the professor,” Owen glared at Via. “Your final score: excellent, right?”

“…So?” Via lowered her head.

“Answer me—where’d you get those cores?”

“Picked them up.”

“Picked up?”

“I explained—other teams teleported out mid-fight, left cores behind. I got lucky—”

“Bullshit!!” Owen cut in. “You stole them from us!!”

“What?”

Gasps rippled through the crowd.

“Our team was heading to the safe zone via a bridge,” the enchanter explained. “Mid-crossing, it exploded. We fell, passed out.”

“I saw it—figure in the far grove. Pink hair, Avalon uniform,” Owen jabbed at Via’s locks. “Besides you, who else has pink hair here?”

All eyes locked on Via.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Via whimpered, wronged. “I was hiding the whole time—how could I go near danger?”

“Others saw your tricks too!”

Owen spun, scanning the crowd.

Soon he found them.

“Sack, Pete—Team 075, get over here!”

“Us?”

Team 075 exchanged looks.

Under stares, Sack and Pete approached, flanking Owen against Via.

Owen crossed arms. “Sack, your team got set up—trapped, cores stolen, right?”

“Ambusher paralyzed me with a trap, stopped our mage casting, used black smoke on Pete—snatched everything,” Sack recounted.

“You saw her—it was Via, right!” Owen pressed for confirmation.

“She did look like—”

Sack started—then felt a sharp pinch at his waist.

Pete.

Confused at first, Sack caught Pete’s eye-signal: look around.

Sack paled.

“Team 075 got wrecked by her?”

“Let Via solo us and rob us?”

“That’s the girl who can’t even heal or cast past basic Fireball!”

Mockery stung—Sack broke into cold sweat.

He hadn’t seen clearly—just a vague pink blur.

Admit it now? Publicly declare Via humiliated them?

He’d be a laughingstock forever.

“Young Master Ou, I don’t think it was Via.”

“Hm?” Owen frowned.

“Someone else. Definitely not Via.” Sack dragged Team 075 away.

“Professor! Professor! I report her!!” Owen wouldn’t quit.

Anima soon arrived, rubbing temples after Owen’s rant.

One-sided claim—no way to pin Via.

“Student Owen, proof those cores are yours?” Anima asked.

“I do!” Owen bellowed. “Family crest on them—check!”

“No!” Via panicked, trembling—obviously scared.

Owen grinned—this reaction? Busted.

“Must inspect! I swear on Lester name—if I’m wrong, I’ll bow publicly!”

No choice—Anima retrieved Via’s cores, public check.

Via fidgeted, distraught.

Owen smug, ready for takedown.

Crowd silent, awaiting verdict.

“…Student Owen, results are in.” Anima finished.

“Oh?” Owen beamed—curtains.

“No mana crests on the cores.”

“?”

Owen’s face froze. He snatched a Silver core—no Lester mark.

“Impossible!!”

“Can I go?” Via sniffled. “I’m sorry for your loss, but don’t take it out on me…”

“No—no, it was you!!”

Young Master Lester raged.

“Via, you blew the bridge with magic! Admit it—you ruined me—”

“Enough, Owen. Stop embarrassing yourself.”

A noble golden-haired girl cut in.

Lucy Favi—scion of a rival great house, talented, Avalon star.

Favi and Lester clans competed; she and Owen were arch-rivals.

“Lucy, stay out!” Owen snarled.

“So Via solo-trapped 075, blew a bridge, stole your cores, erased your family crest?”

“I…” Owen choked.

“Failed the test? Fine. Don’t dump it all on Via—makes you look worse!” Lucy mocked. “Just admit you’re trash!”

“Pfft—hahaha…”

Someone snickered—Owen had many haters.

Laughter spread.

“Via gets spooked by mice—guts for this?”

“She can’t Fireball straight—bridge demolition? I could slay dragons!”

“Young Master Ou lost it—exam broke him!”

Jeers turned Owen’s face white-red, rage and shame choking him.

Team 023’s priest and enchanter burned with second-hand shame—couldn’t stay.

“Outta my way!”

Owen shoved through, storming off.

…

“You really think I didn’t notice?”

Via watched his back, pink eyes flashing slyly.

“Your family crest… too easy to crack, huh?”