Chapter 41: Friendly Battle(4)
When Elizabeth delivered the shocking revelation, the audience gasped in disbelief. Sensing the intrigue, Elizabeth used her magical abilities to send a message to Clementine, requesting more details. After receiving the message, Clementine nodded thoughtfully and rose to her feet, ready to make an announcement.
Clearing her throat, Clementine spoke with a commanding voice, capturing everyone's attention. "As per Mrs. Clementine's request, on behalf of Diana's parent, I must clarify that this situation does not violate any rules. Even before Master Gibson proposed to Diana, she had already received another proposal three years ago."
The crowd erupted into a frenzy, their voices blending into a cacophony of disbelief and astonishment. Gibson, who had been standing off to the side, made his way over to Clementine with an indignant expression on his face. "Mrs. Clementine, this is nothing like a pact! You should have informed me about this before I proposed.
All my efforts have been in vain," he declared, his voice tinged with a mix of anger and desperation. "I demand compensation for this!"
Gibson's fake anger was plastered across his pudgy face, his jiggling flesh emphasizing each exaggerated breath of fury. His performance was aimed at painting himself as the innocent victim in this ordeal, and the audience almost fell for his act.
True to his nickname, Gibson was shameless and always willing to go to great lengths to present himself as the aggrieved party.
Clementine's eyes flickered with a disgusted look as she observed Gibson's behavior. Her beautifully arched eyebrows furrowed, and a contemptuous smile curled up at the corners of her lips. She snorted disdainfully. "Must I inform you about every aspect of our family's activities, child? You are not worthy of my daughter in the slightest."
Marry her precious daughter off to a swine like Gibson? In his dreams! Clementine thought, crossing her arms and purposely drawing attention to her ample bosom, a subtle display of her mature womanly charm.
Meanwhile, Desmond, who had been silently observing the unfolding drama, wasn't surprised by Clementine's sudden change of heart. He had expected this outcome ever since Diana lost the competition and fainted.
Knowing Clementine's personality, he understood that she could never accept Gibson as her son-in-law. However, her decision deviated from the agreement they had previously discussed.
Curious about Clementine's true nature, Desmond activated his system scan to gather information.
The system began its scan, probing Clementine's essence.
[Scanning the target...]
[Scan Complete!]
[
Name: Clementine
Gender: Female
Age: 36
Race: Human
Class: 1st Witch
Occupation: None
Unique Energy: 31.35
Strength: 12.00
Agility: 7.00
Stamina: 5.35
Trait: Curiosity (Rare)
]
Desmond nodded knowingly. It seemed that the 1st Witches possessed a defense mechanism against system scans, which explained the limited information provided.
Feeling the intrusion of Desmond's probing gaze, Clementine locked eyes with him. "He is your opponent," she stated firmly, her voice laced with a mixture of annoyance and determination. She refused to tolerate Gibson's incessant demands for compensation and his attempts to shift blame onto Desmond.
Gibson's laughter echoed through the air as he towered over Desmond, reveling in his height advantage. "Hahaha, Mrs. Clementine, is this the child you spoke of? Look at his thin and small body. How could he possibly pose a threat to me?" Clementine remained silent, unaware of Desmond's true strength.
Just as Gibson was about to taunt Desmond further, Alice, who had been quiet up until now, couldn't hold back any longer. She shouted, her voice filled with indignation, "Shut up! He's my strongest brother! Unlike you, you round ball!"
Startled, Gibson turned his attention to Alice, finally taking notice of the beautiful young lady he had been avoiding. Since Alice had always kept her back turned to Desmond, Gibson couldn't clearly see her face. "Oh, it seems I was mistaken. I apologize, miss. Your brother is powerful, more powerful than me," he said, making his way towards Alice.
Desmond, who had brushed off Gibson's mockery, stepped forward, blocking Gibson's path as he approached Alice. "Hold it right there, pork chop. Keep your ugly hands away from my sister," he warned, gripping Gibson's body with one hand. Gibson struggled to free himself from Desmond's grasp but failed to do so.
"Not bad. Looks like I'll have to exert a bit more strength," Gibson remarked, silently chanting a spell that coated his fingers with hardened rocks.
Clementine observed Gibson's futile struggles and confirmed that her previous hunch was correct. "Seems like my assumption was spot-on. It's easier to anticipate the actions of intelligent people," she thought to herself, satisfaction gleaming in her eyes.
Desmond, witnessing Gibson's attempt to use a spell, decided to release him and instead exerted more force, causing Gibson to lose his balance and fall to the ground. "Do you think augmenting your power like that would make you stronger? Hmph! How naive! This is why I dislike dealing with children," Desmond sneered.
Gibson, filled with disbelief and wounded pride, could barely utter a response. "You... Fine, I accept your challenge this time," he grumbled, making his way to the arena to prepare himself for the impending confrontation.
Meanwhile, Desmond overheard Gibson's words and felt a surge of confusion. "Why me? It should be Clementine!" he wanted to protest, but it was too late. Gibson had already left, leaving Desmond speechless.
Turning his cold gaze towards Clementine, Desmond confronted her. "This isn't what we agreed upon. I only needed to win your daughter's affections, not compete against someone."
Clementine smirked, her satisfaction evident. "Ah, did I say that? Isn't our agreement for you to marry my daughter?"
Aware that arguing further would be futile, Desmond decided to cut his losses. "As compensation, you owe me one opportunity," he whispered something to Alice, then turned and headed towards the arena, ready to face Gibson in the upcoming challenge.
Clementine stifled a yawn but immediately sensed a chilling hostility in the air. She turned around to find Alice glaring at her with cold eyes.
"Next time, Mrs. Clementine, be mindful of your words. My brother is not to be taken lightly," Alice threatened. "If it weren't for my brother's request, you might not be standing here today!"
Clementine raised an eyebrow. "Hey, kid, don't get so arrogant in front of your elders. Show some respect," she retorted, unleashing her murderous aura to its maximum intensity. The audience could feel the oppressive aura emanating from both Clementine and Alice, their attention now fixed on the intense confrontation unfolding before them.
Alice sensed that Clementine's aura resonated with Diana's, but her training wasn't just for show. She also emanated a powerful aura, tinged with a chilling coldness. Clementine was taken aback by Alice's sudden surge in power.
"A 1st Witch? No... almost 1st class. Impressive, this kid has talent. But it's still not enough to defeat me, child!" Clementine thought, further amplifying her aura and causing the surrounding area to heat up. The audience, too, felt the weight of their auras pressing down on them.
Even Desmond, who was nearby, was shocked. "Sis, I told you not to do anything reckless!" He sent a message to Alice using a spell, attempting to calm her down.
After a few moments, both Alice and Clementine dissipated their auras, allowing the audience to breathe freely once again.
Matson, Elizabeth, and Gibson were astonished by the immense power displayed by Alice. Despite being three years younger, the gap in their energy levels shouldn't have been so significant.
Matson's thoughts wandered as he observed Alice's captivating presence. He considered, 'Looks like I've found a potential partner aside from Elizabeth.' Alice's beauty was not inferior to Elizabeth's, and her demeanor differed greatly from Elizabeth's, who seemed like a sheltered princess fresh out of the palace. Alice exuded a charismatic aura, combined with her formidable strength.
Inside the glass room, Elizabeth pondered over the recent events. An unpleasant feeling crept into her heart for the first time. "I should request my father to investigate them," she concluded. With that thought in mind, she stood up and announced, "The next match will be between Gibson and Desmond, the newcomer."