Kings On The Horizon (Vol. 4-6) ✓

234 | Proposition

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"THERE IS NOTHING FOR me to explain because no explanation will sway anyone's judgment against us serfs. And there is nothing for me to beg. Someone who is truly merciful does not need to be begged in order to show mercy," Max bravely says, leaving the other white uniforms, even the Saints, speechless. No one has ever talked back to a brotherhood before.

     Uchdryd looks at Max seriously after hearing what the serf has to say. But afterward, he started laughing. His laughter echoed inside the atrium like a villain watching the hero fail.

     "You really are a student of J.S High," Uchdryd says as he adjusts his leather gloves. "Well then, if you're not going to beg—" he then paused as he took a step closer to Max. He grabbed Max by the shoulder and pulled him towards him, surprising the young heir. Max knew, based on Uchdryd's posture, that he was going to get punched. But as he prepared for the impact, Uchdryd quickly leaned towards him and whispered something in his ear.

     "I'm gonna punch you. Clench your stomach and drop to the floor," Uchdryd suddenly warns.

     Max's eyes widened in shock, but he immediately did what he was told. The leader of Checkmate punches him in the gut with no hesitation. Despite preparing for the impact, the punch still hurt, but it was not painful enough for him to drop to the floor if Uchdryd hadn't told him to.

     "Let me just welcome you to St. George Academy instead, outsider," Uchdryd says with a sadistic grin as Max falls to the ground, pretending to catch his breath to make it believable.

     "Faith is strength, right? Then you better start praying, Sinclaire, because your days of living in the castle are over. You're in hell now. Anyone who disobeys will be punished. And our punishments here...will definitely make you start begging," Uchdryd says for one last time before finally turning around and joining his brotherhood.

    Keigo immediately ran to Max to help him stand. After draping Max's arm around his shoulder to support him, Keigo looks back at Uchdryd to yell at him for doing such a thing to his dear friend, but Max immediately looks at him and shakes his head, encouraging him not to do anything.

     Keigo could only grit his teeth as he and Max finally walked back in line.

     The rest of the white uniforms looked at the outsider with smug looks on their faces. They all thought that Max deserved the said punishment, not knowing that Uchdryd wasn't even trying to hurt him in the first place. He was probably showing the others that Max wasn't an exception to their rules, even if he was just a temporary student.

     Showing any kind of favoritism would have been terrible on his part.

     "Max, are you alright?" Xander asked when Keigo and Max had gotten back to their positions.

     "I'm fine," Max answers. He obviously doesn't want to lie to his roommates, but it's best to hide what happened for the time being, especially when he doesn't know what the leader of Checkmate is planning yet.

     "I'm definitely fine," Max whispers under his breath this time before looking at Uchdryd, who is now talking with the other members of his brotherhood. He then turns to the vice president, who still has a blank expression on his face. Max couldn't help but wonder about those two. He doesn't want to sound boastful or anything, but Levi and Uchdryd definitely tried protecting him.

     The question is, why?

     Max couldn't help but be confused about everything that's been happening so far. But before he can get consumed by his thoughts, the church bell rings again. And this time, even the brotherhoods stopped talking and stood properly.