Chapter 41: Waltz’s Worst Day
The morning after the fight, the study hall in the Imperial Academy was crowded with students. At a corner of the study hall, a beautiful young woman was walking away from a young man at a quick pace.
"Meredith please wait!" Waltz yelled out attracting everyone's attention. It's a common occurrence in the academy for boys to chase after Meredith as she is extremely beautiful, talented, and has a great background.
"What is it that you want?" Meredith coldly glared at Waltz. She had been rejecting him for years and he still didn't get the hint that she wasn't interested in him.
"I want to explain what happened at the restaurant the other day" Waltz was picked up by his men couple of hours after he got knocked out by Bruce. He never felt so humiliated in his life.
He spent an enormous amount of money hiring people in the academy to cripple Bruce. His plan was to show Meredith the aftermath so that she'll forget about Bruce.
"What's there to explain? You were rude and presumptuous" Meredith initially didn't think much of Waltz even after he had been asking her out for years. Her feeling for him was neutral until what she had witnessed the other day at the restaurant.
"Meredith, you misunderstood my good intentions at the restaurant" Waltz could tell that Meredith was angry at him. This was completely different than her usual cold face.
"I just want to make sure that you don't ruin your reputation by hanging out with commoners like Bruce" Waltz managed to enrage Meredith even further by calling Bruce a commoner.
"Don't you dare insult Bruce in front of me. Get out of my sight!" Meredith walked away from Waltz leaving him in shock.
'You stupid bitch, just wait till I show everyone the pictures of that peasant later'
Waltz had a dark expression on his face and walked out of the study hall. Everyone who was near them started spreading rumors.
"What happened at the restaurant?" One student asked.
"I don't know. I heard that Prince Waltz was found unconscious on the road" A student started to fill in the blanks.
"Holy shit! Who even dare to knock out Prince Waltz?"
"No clue, but that person's name is Bruce apparently"
"Is he dating Meredith?" More people started to chime in.
"That's impossible! Meredith is our goddess. She would never date anyone in the academy" Turned out Meredith has a fan club in the Academy. Whom truly believe that no one is worthy of Meredith.
"Meredith, I heard Prince Waltz is in a terrible mood today. What did you say to him?"
Chelsey and Meredith were having a friendly spar. Chelsey was in the gossip circle of the Imperial Academy so she naturally heard about the incident that morning.
"I told him to get away from me" Meredith was also in a bad mood after hearing Waltz insulting Bruce.
The past of couple weeks spending time with Bruce had made her much happier than before. Bruce slowly turned into an important person in her heart.
"Oh? Is it because of Bruce?" Chelsey grinned after seeing her best friend blush when she mentioned Bruce.
"No… I don't know what you are talking about" Meredith diverted Chelsey's line of sight.
"Oh my, the goddess has fallen in love with a commoner"
"This will be the love story of the century" Chelsey giggle and made fun of Meredith.
"Chelsey!" Meredith turned bright red and turned the friendly spar into a real fight.
Seeing Meredith turning everything around her into ice, Chelsey quickly surrendered.
"I was just joking Meredith, don't throw those water at me!" Chelsey was meeting up with Deion later that day. She didn't want to ruin her makeup before the date.
"Hmph." Meredith unfroze the water and everything dropped down on ground causing a light rain.
"You must really like Bruce to get that mad" Chelsey no longer talked to Meredith in a teasing tone.
"No…." Meredith refused to admit her feelings for Bruce.
"Who are you kidding? You been smiling a lot more lately. Don't think that I don't know that you even wore makeup the other day!"
Meredith's complete transformation surprised Chelsey greatly. Meredith didn't care much for her looks and never wore makeup.
Meredith turned redder after Chelsey pointed out her changes over the past couple of weeks.
"He doesn't look that handsome though" Compared to Deion, Bruce's look is quite average. However, he has impressive strengths since he was able to defeat Waltz in a few seconds.
"Wait, don't tell me…" Chelsey finally realized Bruce's secret.
"Meredith, is Bruce actually the bandit of solitude?" Chelsey had found it fishy that Bruce knew the bandit of solitude but refused to tell her. Even when she asked Deion about it, he also refused to tell her.
"Yes, most likely he is the bandit of solitude who's been robbing us for 6 years" Meredith weirdly felt proud about getting robbed by a bandit for 6 years.
"I knew it!" Chelsey turned excited.
"I can't believe he's been hiding under a lower rank this entire time"
"It's because too many would want him dead if he were to reveal himself" Meredith had also thought about this as to why Bruce hid his strength all this time. She didn't bring up because their relationship hasn't reached that stage yet.
"Why is he showing himself now? Many people will definitely be able to connect the dots" Chelsey got worried for Bruce since he did rob everyone in the class. The number of enemies he will face at the academy will be tremendous.
"Chelsey, I don't think anyone in our generation can defeat Bruce"
"Bruce had been teaching me how to control water better and his mastery over the elements is much more profound than his peers." Meredith explained.
"But many prodigies in our generation have terrifying backgrounds. They can send assassins to kill him" Chelsey brought up the danger that Bruce will now have to face due to his actions in the past.
"Haha" Meredith giggled.
"If anything, they should be afraid of him. He'll definitely rob anyone who tries to hurt him"
"You think he's stronger than Divine King expert?" Chelsey knew that plenty of influences have Divine King experts under their armies. Even if Bruce was invincible in Soul Manifestation stage, he still would die under Divine King assassins.
"I don't know but I have a feeling that he's been hiding a terrifying power that we haven't seen yet." Meredith replied. She felt that unless Divine Emperor acts, Bruce will not die to anyone.
"I can't believe you have such blind faith in your bandit boyfriend." Chelsey looked at the dazed Meredith.
"He's not my boyfriend yet!" Meredith exclaimed.
"Oh my, so he'll be your boyfriend in the future" Chelsey started to tease Meredith again.
"Chelsey!"
The two girls continued their spar while Waltz was in his chamber waiting for the good news.
Knock Knock.
"Come in" Waltz said.
A group of men came into the room looking extremely angry at Waltz.
"Tell me you guys have good news and crippled that bastard" Waltz had a dark expression on his face as he stared at the men he hired to attack Bruce.
"Brothers, pin down that asshole!" The leader commanded.
"Wait, what.." Waltz didn't know what was happening.
"You think that because you're a prince, you can send us to our deaths with a mere 10,000 medium energy crystals" The leader looked at Waltz in rage. Four of his men were in the hospital for nothing.
"What are you talking about!" Waltz truly was shocked at the current situation.
"The people you sent us to cripple had strengths way above our powers."
"Tell me, if you're not sending us to our deaths then what was it?" The leader smacked Waltz face loudly.
"We even had to give up our belongings to them!" The leader slammed his foot on Waltz chest.
"Now, we are left with nothing while our brothers are in the hospital!"
"Tell me, motherfucker! What should we do with you?" Waltz coughed up blood. When he looked up, he saw four people glared at him murderously.
"I don't know what happened, but I'll pay for all of your expenses" Waltz knew he couldn't get out of this alive without paying these people.
"You have 1 hour to cough up the payments."
"If you want to live past today, the cost will be 50,000 medium energy crystals!"
Waltz spurted more blood after he had heard the price. 50,000 medium energy crystals were his entire wealth at the academy. He would have to request his father to send him more if he wants to maintain his lifestyle.
"Also, Bruce has a message for you" The leader passed over a note to Waltz.
'Dear Idiotic Prince,
Thank you for gifting us 10,000 medium energy crystals.
Yours Truly,
Bruce and Deion
'
Waltz blood pressure rose to the extreme after he read the letter and fainted.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone