Chapter 132: This Is My Sister's Boyfriend

The Alliance of Light and the Alliance of Darkness, situated to the west of the Maya Mountains, have been locked in hostility since their inception. Throughout history, these two powers have clashed in numerous major wars, and their mutual grievances have accumulated over time. Even in the current era of relative peace, friction between them remains significant. Naturally, the two alliances vie for supremacy in every field, and alchemy is no exception.

At this, Gebaz could not help but offer a wry smile. As someone hailing from the Alliance of Darkness, the mere mention of such inter-alliance friction made his head throb.

Victoria and Bill were from the distant Aragon Empire. Although they did not experience the deep-seated rivalry between the two alliances as keenly as Lawlin and his peers, they had been influenced by it during their years at Potter Academy. They knew that even someone as low-key as Lawlin would not sit idly by today.

As expected, after a moment of thought, Lawlin waved his hand and said, "Let's go and take a look!"

As the son of a high-ranking official in the Europa Empire, Mahler was the first to charge out of the dormitory, with the others following closely behind.

The challenge was taking place on the expansive playground of Potter Academy. From a distance, guided by Simone, the group saw a large crowd of hundreds gathered in the northeastern corner of the field. They quickened their pace toward the spot. As they approached, many others were also converging on the area from all directions.

Among the crowd, a small group caught up to them. A young man with impossibly handsome features exclaimed in surprise, "Victoria! You're here too? I was just looking for you."

Following him was a spirited and exceptionally beautiful young woman. Upon hearing this, a flicker of resentment crossed her eyes, and her gaze shifted toward Lawlin and his companions.

"Oh, it’s you, Anthony. I'm just having a meal with my brother and his friends. Excuse me," Victoria said. She frowned slightly as she looked at the man. Though her response was polite, her tone held a distinct air of distance.

"That guy is bothering my sister again," Bill muttered under his breath. Mahler and Gebaz also cast hostile glares at the man, while Lawlin narrowed his eyes, observing him carefully.

The man was indeed Anthony, a disciple of Thomas. Years ago, when Lawlin was auctioning a spatial ring to cover his younger brother's surgery costs, it was Anthony who had ultimately secured it with a bid of 1.2 million gold coins. They had little interaction in the years that followed, until Victoria began attending their dormitory gatherings. Anthony had then reappeared in their lives, having launched a fanatical pursuit of Victoria ever since she reached her sixth year. However, his "enchanting" good looks had hit a wall with her for the first time.

Victoria’s cold indifference only seemed to fuel his obsession. For years, he had pursued her relentlessly, but it was always a case of the man being willing while the woman remained unmoved. Lawlin, who spent his days immersed in cultivation, had only heard of these matters through Mahler and the others during meals, but seeing the scene unfold today, he knew the rumors were true.

Ignoring Victoria’s chilly response, Anthony stepped closer and smiled. "Victoria, it’s been a long time. Since we’ve finally run into each other, we should have a good chat."

Perhaps there is an innate sense of repulsion between handsome men, but Bill had felt an immediate dislike for Anthony from the moment they met. This was compounded by his constant pursuit of his sister. Without waiting for Victoria to speak, Bill stepped in front of her and declared, "Anthony, don't you have any self-respect? My sister doesn't like you at all! Stop harassing her!"

Although she felt her brother was being a bit unreasonable, Victoria’s lips parted, but she said nothing. She found the encounter with Anthony equally agonizing and chose not to stop Bill.

Anthony was familiar with Bill, though he never understood why the boy was so antagonistic toward him—especially regarding his pursuit of Victoria. Having been blocked by him multiple times before, Anthony felt a surge of irritation at being confronted in front of such a large crowd. However, being a man of deep cunning, he kept his expression perfectly masked behind a smile.

"Bill, I think there’s been a misunderstanding. I only wish to talk to your sister; I have no other intentions," Anthony said warmly.

Seeing that the man still refused to give up, Bill’s annoyance grew. On a sudden impulse, he grabbed Lawlin and pulled him forward, shouting, "Anthony, my sister already has a boyfriend! It’s Lawlin, from our dormitory. I hope you’ll stop pestering her from now on!"

In truth, Bill simply wanted to find a shield for his sister to make Anthony back off. As for why he had pulled Lawlin instead of Mahler or Gebaz, he couldn't explain it even long after the fact.

The gesture, however, stunned everyone present. Mahler and Gebaz stared blankly at Bill, processing his words. Confusion turned to indignation as they thought to themselves, *Damn it! Why didn't the third one grab me instead? Even if it’s just as a shield, standing in that position would be a dream!*

Victoria reacted immediately, her face flushing as she cast a secret, bashful glance at Lawlin. She then snapped in embarrassed anger, "Brother! Don't spout nonsense! That’s not true at all!"

Anthony’s smile remained, but deep within his eyes, a flicker of crazed jealousy ignited. He hadn't taken Bill’s words to heart—anyone could see it was a desperate attempt to find a shield—but he had been watching Victoria closely. He had caught that fleeting, shy look she had cast toward Lawlin.

It was that very look—the one he had dreamed of receiving—that had finally appeared, yet it was directed at another man. His experience told him that even if they weren't a couple, Victoria clearly harbored feelings for Lawlin.

His gaze shifted from Victoria to Lawlin. He narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing the young man with short black hair standing before him, and said in a low, cold voice:

"So, you are Lawlin?"