Devourer's Legacy: I Regressed With The Primordial Crest-Chapter 38: She definitely has a screw loose(2)

Aedric couldn't reply. Pain, humiliation, and frustration surged together, welling up as tears in his eyes. Sniffling, he buried his face in his arms.

Renard didn't feel the slightest sympathy. After all, Aedric had been the one to start this with his attitude.

Though... maybe he had gone a bit far.

'I probably should've held back more. Hopefully this doesn't cause trouble later.'

Renard wasn't worried about Aedric—he was more concerned about the aftermath. If someone decided to take offense on Aedric's behalf, they might use it as an excuse to trouble his grandfather.

'Well, Let them try,' he thought.

While Renard stood there, Aedric trembled, trying to hold back more tears. He didn't want to look any weaker than he already did. But at the same time, he couldn't accept defeat either—pure, childish stubbornness.

"Young Master!"

A voice called from outside, growing louder. A tall man in a knight's uniform entered the training hall, followed closely by Lyla, who was panting and lifting her skirt to avoid tripping.

"What... in the world happened here?"

The knight didn't wear the Grim family crest. Instead, he bore the Iroshade emblem and had addressed Aedric as 'Young Master.' Clearly, a knight in their service.

'Hmm,' Renard thought, observing the man's movement.

He didn't know his exact age, but just from how he walked, Renard could tell—this man was more skilled than Brandon, the knight assigned to him.

"Ha-Hazar," Aedric sobbed, calling out to the man.

"I... I challenged him to a duel... and I lost..."

"A duel...?"

Hazar looked over at Renard, his expression unreadable. He then stepped forward and gently picked Aedric up, not even flinching at the mess on his uniform. Adrienne winced and took a step back.

"...I'm Hazar. I tutor Young Master Aedric."

He adjusted Aedric in his arms and gave Renard a short bow.

"I got part of the story from the maid, but I rushed here before hearing everything. So—what happened?"

"I'm Renard Grim, from Tiara's Castle," Renard replied, standing tall. He didn't bow.

"Tiara's Castle... That would be Lady..."

"Yes. She's my mother. As for this... Aedric challenged me. I tried to avoid a fight, but..."

Renard's eyes moved to Aedric.

"He insulted my mother."

"When did I do that!" Aedric shouted, still curled in Hazar's arms.

"You said my parents never taught me honor. You called me a coward."

Aedric's face flushed.

"You also said I smelled like cow dung," Renard added.

"...It's true! You do smell like cow dung!" Aedric snapped.

"And your mouth smells like vomit. So maybe keep it closed."

Renard's gaze sharpened, and Aedric flinched. His abdomen was still aching.

"So that's why you dueled?" Hazar asked.

"He insulted my mother. Sir Hazar, should I have just let it go?" Renard responded evenly.

Hazar didn't answer right away. There was something off-putting about this entire exchange.

Before him stood a boy the same age as Aedric and Adrienne, yet Renard's voice carried none of the emotion or impulsiveness expected from someone so young.

His words were calm. Measured. Cold, even.

Hazar, who had endured years of the twins' dramatic outbursts and endless whining, found himself at a loss. He couldn't decide whether it was the boy in front of him who was unusual, or if perhaps it was the twins who had long since skewed his perception of normal.

"...You had good reason," Hazar finally said, his tone even, "but... it seems you were a bit heavy-handed."

"Isn't it an insult to the opponent to show mercy in a duel?" Renard replied, voice steady and unbothered.

"...."

"Sir Hazar, if I lacked skill, then I'd appreciate your advice. But I'm not interested in being told to go easy on an enemy."

"...I apologize for my presumptuous remark," Hazar said, bowing his head respectfully.

Aedric, still being held like luggage in Hazar's arms, shouted with his face twisted in fury,

"Hazar! This bastard—he's trained his essence! Even though he hasn't awakened yet! He's trained it without even going through the Bloodcrest Awakening Ceremony!"

Renard turned toward him, a faint glint of menace in his eyes.

"Didn't I tell you to shut your mouth?"

Aedric froze under that gaze. Again, his mouth snapped shut, and he lowered his head.

"...Young Master," Hazar sighed, shaking his head. "Master Renard has not trained his essence."

Hazar was a knight in the Master Zone. He could see Renard's blocked essence pathways as clearly as day.

"Hazar! Are you lying to me now too?!"

"What reason could I possibly have to lie to you, Master Aedric?"

"But it doesn't make any sense...! How could he beat me without training essence?! And those sandbags! He moved around with them like they were nothing...!"

"I cannot feel a trace of essence from Master Renard," Hazar confirmed, glancing toward the sandbags piled neatly in the corner.

Even from a distance, it was obvious—those weren't ordinary training weights. The sheer size and density were intimidating. The fact that Renard had fought with them strapped to his body was difficult to believe.

But it was true. No matter how hard he looked, Hazar couldn't sense even a flicker of essence from the boy.

"This has to be a lie..." Aedric murmured, voice hollow.

"Master Aedric," Hazar said gently, "for now, let's tend to your injuries."

"I hit him in the solar plexus," Renard offered helpfully.

"...Anywhere else?"

"That was the only blow."

A single hit? Hazar groaned softly. Aedric bit his lip, the shame too heavy to swallow.

"...If that's the case... Master Renard, I hope we meet again," Hazar said with a formal bow, tone respectful and cautious.

Just then, Lyla came running up, slightly breathless. She had tried to follow but had lagged behind. Seeing the scene before her, she hesitated, then quickly lowered her head.

"M-my apologies," she said, flustered.

"What are you apologizing for?" Renard asked, watching as Hazar turned to leave.

He couldn't help the grin that crept across his face as he saw Aedric slump forward on Hazar's shoulder, his pride shattered. Despite the small worry that he might've overdone it, there was a certain satisfaction in knocking the arrogance out of a spoiled brat.

"See you later!" Adrienne chirped, skipping alongside Hazar. She glanced back at Renard and flashed him a bright, cheerful smile, like nothing at all had happened.

"Bye-bye," Renard replied, waving lazily with a grin of his own.

'She definitely has a screw loose.'

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