The other day, Lothur went on with his business at the academy, focusing on his studies and learning new information about this world.
He was also raising his foreign language skills, sometimes helping Elke but also being helped by her.
This woman may not have a greater natural talent than his. Still, she had been raised as the young lady of a prominent local family. So her knowledge went beyond what the academy taught, something useful for her to use to teach Lothur.
In any case, he had returned to his usual routine but was not yet ready to go out on missions. Not only because he could take more difficult missions now but because he had just started his time in his sector.
So he first wanted to focus his time on mastering the theory taught in this sector and only then focus on going on missions and improving his position in the student rankings.
With that, after hours of studying and training alongside Elke, even having met Annaliese for the same in the middle of the afternoon, he finished his business this Wednesday at the academy.
As he did so, he looked at Annaliese and Elke's statuses, which had significantly improved since the Province Conference.
[Name: Elke Becker]
[Cultivation: level 5 -> 6]
[STR: 8 -> 10]
[CON: 26 -> 39.5]
[DEX: 10.2 -> 12.5]
[AGI: 10.5 -> 12.7]
...
[Name: Annaliese Frost]
[Cultivation: level 8 -> 9]
[STR: 34.5 -> 35.7]
[CON: 43.6 -> 55.3]
[DEX: 37.1 -> 38.3]
[AGI: 35.5 -> 36.6]
Lothur was pleased to see how well they were doing, but he was not too invested in the matter and said goodbye to them. "Now I will go to Doctor Snee's office to see if I can schedule something.... I'll see you later."
"See you later." Annaliese and Elke said, each going their separate ways soon after.
With that, Elke quietly began to make her way toward her family's estate, as she usually did since the academy was close to her home.
However, as she peacefully walked along the local sidewalks, someone was cautiously pursuing her while wearing a white mask on his face.
'Why is this woman hiding her level?' He wondered, noticing once again, as he had done in the past weeks, that he could not read Elke's level.
But that was not surprising. After all, how could the patriarch of the Becker family let his daughter expose her impressive new cultivation speed to everyone without protecting her?
When Gomeric and Hilda realized how much this young woman was growing with her unique training with Lothur, they immediately arranged proper formation for her. Only then could they hide the secret about her inexplicable advances.
Because of this, this black-haired young man chasing Elke now had no idea she was no longer at level 2 but at level 6.
And so, he continued with his doubt in mind but without thinking that this was for him to worry about.
Everyone knew Elke's talent was not the best, so she could not surprise him with abnormal strength!
He was sure of that and soon put the matter aside to focus on what to do with his victim.
'You and your family have decided to betray my house and the young master. So I will have fun with you and send whatever is left to that silver-haired wretch!' He clenched his fists and followed Elke to a less busy place.
If Lothur were there, he would see the status of this person he knew well.
[Name: Merten Baier]
[Cultivation: level 6 (weakened)]
[STR: 11.2] [CON:13.1] [DEX: 12] [AGI: 12.3]
He then fired his trap in that area, causing Elke to jump towards the secluded alleyway there.
With her movement, he chased after her, closing off her only escape route to finally confront this woman.
"Uh?" Elke realized that someone was acting against her and frowned as she looked back and saw a man dressed in black and white standing between her and the exit from that alley.
Such a person had a weapon in his hand and was wearing an item that concealed his cultivation, as was the case for her.
Merten was there to hurt Lothur through Elke, so it was evident that he would leave no clues that it was him behind this. Leaving hints would be bad as this could bring trouble to his Baier family and still set young Ritter against him.
Merten only wanted to make Lothur suffer. So he did not need to show himself and generate so much trouble!
With that said, Elke did not identify this strange opponent who appeared in her path and soon put up a defensive position to fight for her life if need be.
"Who are you? Do you know who you are attacking?" She asked cautiously, promptly using her past to protect herself.
One's background was of paramount importance, and it would be foolish not to try to use it when problems beyond one's capabilities arose. So it was obvious that Elke, like a good noblewoman, would use her family to scare off this strange enemy.
But Merten was not the least bit concerned about this woman's situation and said nothing, just walking towards her, intending to knock her out.
He licked his lips under his mask, imagining it would be interesting to enjoy Elke's beautiful body before ending her life.
A pleasant smile formed on his lips as Elke realized that she would have to fight anyway in this place.
She then prepared a poison that Lothur had given her, afraid she would not be strong enough to defend herself or escape. Meanwhile, she slowly walked backward, always in a defensive position, while one of her hands with the poison was behind her back.
When Merten moved faster, Elke dodged him with ease, doing so unconsciously as she hurled the poison toward her opponent's face.
Such poison was a pill that exploded into a cloud of poisonous powder, which, when breathed, could melt its victim's respiratory organs.
So she held her breath as she threw that at her enemy, then immediately prepared to run, not even realizing that her opponent was weaker than her.
"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"
The moment it all happened, Elke ran, and that thing hit Merten's nostrils as he screamed in pain and felt something acidic in his nose.
Elke was already running when he dropped his weapon and began to cough vigorously, breathing in more and more of Lothur's poison.
At the same time, he began to tremble in pain. He felt an unparalleled burning sensation through his body, barely able to remember what he was doing there due to his present situation.
The poison Elke had was one of the newest developed by Lothur, so Merten faced something that could even endanger the life of someone at the 2nd stage!
Because of this, in a matter of seconds, he felt his organs melting, dying after Elke escaped from him!
Meanwhile, she looked back from where she had left, realizing what had occurred.
...