Chapter 2: Provocation

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An hour later, Darn found himself accompanied by several familiar figures-his childhood friends, all scions of high-ranking officials in Rutania. The presence of these noble offspring transformed the streets of Rutania into a scene of chaos.

Darn Spencer, Bab Yousaitus, Cassius Longia, Ranjilo Gragu, and Augustus Fate-five boys on the cusp of adolescence-strolled along, brazenly ogling the women passing by, making lewd comments, and occasionally engaging in antics such as tugging at braids or pulling skirts. Their behavior quickly cleared the street of passersby.

After a moment, observing the crowds that had taken to avoiding them, the boys wore expressions of smug satisfaction, reveling in their mischief, completely oblivious to the silent indignation of those around them. They continued on their way, laughing and joking.

"Hey, Cassius, if your father, the esteemed Judge Hughes, knew you were harassing women, what do you think he would sentence you to?" Darn teased, eyeing a tall, lean boy whose righteous demeanor was undermined by his recent slap on the backside of an unsuspecting girl.

"Castration! Immediate execution!" Before Cassius could respond, a burly boy interjected with a mock-serious tone.

"Shut up, Augustus! What do you think your father would say if he knew what you did today? Hmph, do you think serving the great Supreme God in a monastery would be a glorious fate for a future paladin?" Cassius shot back, glaring at his companion.

"Alright, alright! We're all nobles here; let's not turn on each other! But what's up with Bab today? He seems awfully downcast," Ranjilo, the last of the group, chimed in. His father was a provincial official in Rutania.

The son of the provincial official, a plump boy who waddled down the street like a moving meatball, was currently staring at the ground, looking utterly dejected, as if he were about to be tossed into a pot.

"He's just... nothing much. He only owes me five gold coins. Come on, Bab, there's no need to sulk like that! It's just a month's allowance; you don't need to wear such a long face! At this rate, you'll embarrass yourself! Five gold coins? Your father is a tax collector!" Darn remarked, glancing at his recently extorted friend.

"Five gold coins!? That's a fortune! Bab, why did you give Darn five gold coins?" Ignoring the governor's son, the other three boys turned their attention to the plump boy, who slowly raised his head amidst their astonished and sympathetic gazes.

"Ugh... That bastard Darn was caught peeking at nude drawings in class by Professor Larrymani, and he pinned the blame on me..." the chubby boy lamented, his face a mask of grievance.

"Uh, that's not such a big deal, is it? Does it really warrant you paying five gold coins?" The three boys exchanged glances at Darn, unimpressed by the severity of the situation.

"The girl in the nude drawings is Eolya, and Darn drew it himself!" the chubby boy added, a hint of schadenfreude in his tone. The three boys froze at this revelation.

"Uh, Darn, that's impressive! While we've all done outrageous things in that old man's class, this... heh heh heh... Can we see the drawing?"

After a moment, the three boys looked at Darn with newfound admiration, though their respect was short-lived as they suddenly halted, casting curious glances at him.

"Hey, Darn, now that Professor Larrymani has discovered your... uh, artistic work, do you still dare to visit his house?" Ranjilo asked, his eyes gleaming with mischief inherited from his father.

"Don't worry; Professor Larrymani is definitely not home right now!" Darn replied confidently.

"Why not!?" the four boys inquired in unison.

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