Hunter Academy: Revenge of the Weakest novel Chapter 242

Chapter 242 Chapter 55.2 - Encounter

"As expected, you are different."

Without a sound, Lilia Thornheart stepped into Elara's line of vision, her presence finally acknowledged.

"Hello, Senior Elara," Lilia greeted with a calm and composed demeanor, her emerald eyes glinting with a subtle amusement.

Elara caught off guard, spun around to face the unexpected presence. Her eyes widened as she registered Lilia's proximity, a mixture of surprise and realization crossing her features.

"Junior Lilia? When did you...?" Elara stammered, her usual composure momentarily shaken.

"I've been here for a while," Lilia replied with a faint smirk, savoring the surprise she had elicited. "You were too engrossed in your little confrontation with Adrian to notice."

Elara's gaze sharpened as she assessed Lilia's demeanor. There was a hint of curiosity and wariness in her eyes, realizing that the heir of Olympus' Vanguard had been a silent spectator to the altercation.

'She was here all the time?'

Elara couldn't help but widen her eyes. A first-year student escaping from her senses? That seemed unbelievable at first.

'Even if I was not vigilant….'

This fact was both a blow to her pride as a senior and a display of the progress of this Junior right before herself.

'Well, if it is her, it could make sense.'

Considering Lilia's prowess that she had seen in the competition, she inwardly justified this scene, though a small crumble of pride still remained in her heart.

"Why are you here?" Elara inquired, her tone neutral.

"I just happened to come to take my belongings and then witnessed the drama unfold," Lilia responded, her eyes gliding over the archery range. "It seems there's more to this competition than meets the eye. Adrian's actions were quite... theatrical, to say the least."

Hearing Lilia's words, Elara looked at the hour and noticed that it was a lot later than usual. Considering the competition and how the day unfolded, nobody would let their belongings stay in the club room for such a long time.

Realizing that Lilia was just presenting an excuse, she inwardly shook her head, not buying it. It was evident that she either followed Adrian or was waiting for something.

"So what? What do you want from me by revealing that?" Elara asked, her tone edged with a hint of skepticism as she crossed her arms defensively.

Lilia maintained her calm demeanor, a subtle smirk playing on her lips. The smirk was almost the same as Adrian's, a smirk that looked down on others. But then again, she didn't hold any hostility.

"Oh, nothing in particular, Senior Elara. I just thought it was interesting to see the dynamics at play within the Archery Club. And besides, I was also one of those subjected to Adrian's... creative scoring methods."

"You, too?" Elara said, her skepticism giving way to a shared understanding. "I thought you might not be affected by such trivial matters."

After all, the prowess she had shown made it seem like she wasn't even remotely affected by what Adrian had done.

Lilia chuckled softly, her gaze turning cold for a second. "Everyone has their limits, Senior. I don't take kindly to being underestimated or toyed with, especially by those who are clearly below me."

She looked at the targets and the club room for a second. "And considering your words and stance against him, you don't seem to particularly fond of the idea either."

Elara's eyes searched Lilia's face for any hint of deceit, finding only a genuine curiosity and a touch of determination. It seemed the heir of Olympus' Vanguard had a more intricate web of motivations and intentions than initially apparent.

"I'm not sure what you're plotting, Junior Lilia, but count me out if it involves unnecessary complications," Elara stated her guard still up.

Lilia's smirk widened. "Oh, Senior Elara, complications can sometimes be the spice of life. But worry not; I don't intend to drag you into anything against your will." She approached a little, offering her a hand.

"I merely find it amusing, seeing people like you think they stand a chance against people like Adrian."

Elara's eyes tightened, a spark of anger igniting within them as she perceived a subtle condescension in Lilia's words.

'Who do you think you are?'

The heir of Olympus' Vanguard was testing the waters, challenging the boundaries of their interaction.

"Amusing, you say?" Elara retorted, her voice sharp with indignation. "Don't mistake me for someone who's merely here for your amusement. I've worked hard to reach where I am, and I won't let anyone belittle my efforts, especially not someone who thinks they can gauge my capabilities in a single encounter."

Lilia's smirk persisted, her eyes gleaming with amusement. She extended her hand toward Elara, a gesture that seemed both casual and provocative. "I don't doubt your capabilities, Senior Elara. In fact, I find them intriguing. But your capabilities won't be enough against people like him."

Elara, her frustration building, slapped away Lilia's offered hand, her tone sharp and resolute. "It is still better than bowing to people like him."

In her eyes, Lilia seemed to be no different from Adrian, as both of them were using others to their own advantage.

"If you're here to challenge the status quo, do it without undermining the efforts of those who have worked hard to rise above it."

Her eyes were resolute, as if she would never expect her help.

Lilia, still holding her slightly stinging hand with a casual indifference, met Elara's resolute gaze. "It seems you are mistaking something, Senior Elara. I'm not cut from the same cloth as Adrian or the likes of him. I don't undermine others; I simply recognize the hierarchy of capabilities."

Elara's eyes narrowed at Lilia's words, a mixture of skepticism and irritation evident in her expression. "And what makes you so different? What sets you apart from those people like him?"

Lilia's smirk returned, a touch of arrogance lacing her words. "The difference, Senior Elara, is that I don't need to manipulate. I am just better, superior. In this world, those who are superior will always win. It's not a matter of playing games or using others; it's the natural order of things."

Elara's frustration deepened at Lilia's confident assertion of superiority. The notion that someone could so openly proclaim their dominance without reservation irked her.

'Just because you are the heir of the Olympus Vanguard….'

Inwardly, she cussed this girl before herself. After all, she was no different from Adrian in no way.

"You think being better gives you the right to dismiss the struggles of others? To look down on those who have fought tooth and nail to rise above their circumstances?"

Lilia shrugged nonchalantly. "I'm not dismissing anyone's struggles, Senior Elara. I'm merely stating a fact. In this world, strength is the currency of influence. Those who can't adapt to this reality will find themselves left behind."

As she said that, she turned to leave. "And Senior Elara. The moral values you hold….Unless you have the necessary 'currency' to back them up, they will always be buried underneath the pages of this world….You should never forget it."

As Lilia turned to leave, Elara's frustration simmered beneath the surface. The words lingered in the air, carrying an unsettling truth that Elara found hard to accept.

She watched Lilia's retreating figure, the heir of Olympus' Vanguard, walk away with an air of confidence and superiority.

However, she couldn't deny the fact that her words held some truth inside herself.