Villain Seduces to Rise in Status-Chapter 22 - Return

A few minutes had passed since applying the herbal medicine, and Koza’s breathing was gradually returning to normal, his chest rising and falling with steady rhythm. Lapu started crying upon seeing his son’s condition improving, tears streaming down his weathered face.

"Thank god, thank goodness."

Cale placed a hand on the older man’s shoulder. "Like I said, this is still not enough. We need to show him to a proper doctor, and we both have our injuries too that need professional attention."

"Okay, let’s wait a bit for him to gain some strength and then we’ll leave this place."

"Okay."

While waiting for Koza to recover enough strength to travel, Lapu saw Cale’s wounds slowly healing on their own before his eyes. The cuts were closing, the bruises fading with unnatural speed unlike normal human healing.

Lapu understood that this wasn’t some random academy student standing before him. "Did your wounds heal on their own? That’s not normal. Such fierce technique and healing ability."

"Well, let’s just say I acquired it from somewhere."

A sudden realization struck Cale like lightning. He needed to check something before leaving this place.

"I have to go take a look." 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

"Wait, where are you going?"

After going near the beast’s corpse, Cale took the broken front end of his sword and carved into the monster’s chest. The beast blood inside—the blood from within its heart—was what he needed. He’d required it for a long time now, knowing it would increase his bloodline effects and cultivation potential significantly.

"Do good and get good returns, is this what this is? Haha, I saved those two on my own violation though, so at least the universe compensates somewhat."

When he was leaving with the blood collected in a water pouch of leather, a strange red light suddenly flickered from one corner of the cave. The illumination was unlike anything he’d seen, casting crimson shadows across the stone walls.

"What is this? This was never here before."

It was a red flower sparkling with red glitters, its petals seeming to glow with their own internal light.

The notes he’d acquired didn’t have this flower documented anywhere.

"The notes I got didn’t have this one documented. Is this a rare species? Well, let’s take it and research it later."

He plucked the flower carefully and went on his way, adding it to his collection of rare herbs.

Lapu was outside with Koza tied to his back, the boy still recovering but conscious now. "Let’s leave now. I will accompany you guys to your village."

"Thank you so much, young friend. We can never repay this debt."

"No need for that. I happen to be going on the same way anyway."

I don’t have much time left for my leave to end.

It took them until evening to reach the village, and they went directly into the medicinal pavilion. Lapu asked in desperation, his voice shaking with emotion.

"Doctor, how is my son? Will he be cured completely?"

"You’re making too much noise here. Wait outside."

The doctor ushered them out and began examining Koza behind closed doors. They conversed for what felt like an eternity but was only a few minutes.

Cale stood outside leaning his back against the wall, not wanting to interfere in this family moment. His body was finally catching up to the reality of the injuries he’d sustained, and exhaustion was creeping in despite his cultivation.

Lapu came running out and dropped to his knees immediately, his entire body shaking.

"The doctor... said that if we didn’t have applied the herbs to neutralize the remnant poison, he would’ve needed to cut his arm off or even death would be a possibility. I can’t thank you enough for this. I will work my whole life to repay this favor."

Cale reached down and pulled the man up by his shoulders. "No, get up. Come on, men shouldn’t be kneeling like this. And I am the one who is thankful. You both gave me food when I was starving in that forest. Aren’t we friends now?"

Lapu smiled, warmth filling his face. "You truly are a kind kid. I thought all noble kids were idiotic children riding their family’s coattails without earning anything themselves."

"Uh... uhm..."

A few hours passed as Cale and Lapu got their wounds treated properly by the village doctor. The cost wasn’t even much, a fraction of what the academy would have charged for similar services.

The doctor came to Lapu with his final assessment. "His condition is fine now, but since he lost too much blood, he will need to rest at least until tomorrow morning before traveling."

Lapu held the doctor’s hands and kept thanking him again and again, his gratitude seemingly endless.

Cale chuckled to himself quietly. "Haha, my father would never do that. He wouldn’t kneel or show such appreciation even if someone saved his life."

What Cale didn’t realize was that the leave days were already over. The next day he had to report back to the academy, but the timings in his head were incorrect due to everything that had transpired. He’d miscounted the days during his ordeal with the beast.

The next morning, several seniors came outside Cale’s quarters already preparing to get points from him yet again. The senior Elon from before, along with his so-called gang of roughly ten or so guys, stood outside with wooden swords in hand.

"Is he not here?"

"I heard he was on a leave, but it ended yesterday."

"Did he get scared and run away to his family?"

"Don’t you know how stubborn that guy is? He won’t run away."

Elon noticed the other group of first years who had also gathered and asked them. "Why are you all ganged up here?"

One guy answered him, not bothering to hide their intentions. "Senior, we too have been desperate for points. What better way than knocking out the weakest one and getting freebies?"

Elon smirked, pleased at the confirmation of his own plan working in his favor. "So you had the same plan too. Looks like our friend has a tough road ahead of him."

"Well, he does get beaten up regularly and doesn’t surrender until he loses consciousness completely."

"Oh, looks like he is not all talk. Once he is unconscious, I will teach him what tragedy looks like."

"Didn’t he know that you were the prime minister’s son?"

Elon’s expression shifted slightly. "I don’t think so. Well, take your kids off. He’s my prey today."

The guy agreed and went to the other guys gathered nearby. "Guys, young lord Elon has decided to deal with him. We should get away from this."

"For what reason? Don’t we all want points from him?"

"That’s... don’t you know who Elon is? His uncle is on the council board of the academy, and his father... is the continent’s prime minister."

"It’s not worth offending such a guy despite how shitty his personality is. We should just keep out of this."

"Okay, let’s do that."

Another half hour passed, but Elon and his goons still waited outside Cale’s quarters. One of the Horkens assigned to monitor the area remained, waiting to see if there was anything to report or not.

"Where has he gone?" Elon demanded, his patience clearly wearing thin.

"Can’t say, senior. Usually, he would be doing some chores to get the bare minimum points for the week. Why don’t we go inside and take a look?"

"Okay, let’s go in."

Elon laughed seeing the small shack Cale had been given to live in, since he wasn’t even accepted as a proper student officially. Many of his family members had contributed to ensuring his living conditions were miserable, a simple way of expressing their disdain for his existence.

They went in and found that he wasn’t here in the first place. The room was empty, dust covering every surface undisturbed.

"There is dust here. How long has this guy been out?"

A few others came from behind with observations. "Cale seems to have been gone for five days at least."

"Did he know Elon would do this? If he did, he’s a genius for avoiding it."

Elon’s expression twisted with malice. "Let’s light his house. Keke."

"That... doesn’t seem to be a good idea, senior."

"What are you guys afraid of? Get some straws and oil. We will burn it. If anything happens, I will protect you all."

The others hesitated but ultimately agreed, gathering materials to set the small shack ablaze. As they were lighting up the fire, a hand suddenly came down on Elon’s shoulder from behind.

"What are you doing to this place?"

Elon did not turn to see but Cale was standing there, dressed in dirt-covered clothes with a large sack on his back, his body bearing visible cuts and marks from his recent ordeal. He thought it was just some random student.

"Didn’t you hear my order? We are burning it."

Cale’s voice was calm, almost amused. "Oh, so you’re burning my house. How petty of you."

His eyes narrowed. "Your house?"

He turned fully to face Cale, taking in the sight of this battered young man who should have been terrified but instead seemed almost relaxed.

"I am here to challenge you. Let’s fight."

"Sure, sure, chivalrous knight. Hehehe."

Cale was mocking him with those words right there in front of everyone, his disdain clear.

Elon’s jaw clenched. "Resist and you will be in trouble."

"So why is my house being burnt in all this? Doesn’t that violate some academy rules about destroying student property?"

Elon stared at Cale, taking in the tattered clothes, the slight cut marks covering his body, the blood splatters on his clothing. He thought Cale had been in some intense training for the past several days, but still, he didn’t want to get defamed by a mere newbie, so he still challenged him.

"Okay... wait a minute at least." Cale went inside his small shack to keep his valuable goods safe.

Elon was surprised by how nonchalant this supposedly weak student was being. "What? This guy..."

"Senior, he’s always been like that," one of his followers offered.

"Hmph, well, I can wait for some time if it means I can beat him to death."