At this moment, William realised he had to wake up and return to this world, a world where a mere dark gold spirit master was way beyond his reach.
He felt such a helpless and powerless feeling just hours ago when he met with the enraged headmaster. And he just felt it now on the hand of a passing elder.
Even if William knew tons of things others didn't, and even if he came from a time when he was fighting the scariest and strongest enemy in the entire world, and even with his formidable technique, he was still starting his journey from such a low point.
He was doing well indeed, but he didn't get things straight in his mind until this moment.
"Fine! I hate liars more than funny idiots! Let's go in and check on what you are saying. I swear on my spirit, if what you claimed about my uncle is wrong then you will be done for! Do you hear me?"
"Yes, senior," William didn't even tremble or flinch, or even show a tinge of fear over his face. Such fine details never missed the keen eyes of such a formidable spirit master.
And that made that spirit master wonder, what the heck happened to this world while he was away training away?
In the eyes of that elder, a porter was standing in front of him without even getting his legs shaking like it was supposed to happen.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtNot to mention he pointed his spear towards the neck of that porter, making him question himself if he was really a porter or a spirit master.
"Welcome back, elder Gran."
"Welcome back, elder."
Just as William and the group moved towards the main gate of the Long clan residence, they were welcomed with different groups of spirit masters.
Each group was formed of ten spirit masters at least, looking like they were doing patrolling tasks.
Once they spotted them, they looked vigilant first before noticing their elder. They all stopped and greeted the elder in such respect, making William smile after they passed the gate.
"It seems the elder has a good reputation inside the Long clan."
"Something a porter like you won't understand. And besides, who gave you the right to speak to me like this? Hey! Aren't you his master? Why aren't you saying something to shut him up?"
That elder named Gran seemed annoyed with William's attitude, being the only one speaking to him ever since their meeting.
"Elder, he isn't a porter… And I'm not his master," Ary stole a gaze at William, to feel the latter didn't want him to unravel too much about his identity in front of this elder.
"Not a porter? Not his master? What a weird bunch of a group you are!" Gran shook his head, "what happened to this world while I was away? I didn't disappear for more than a couple of months!"
"Elder was training outside?" William got from his words this clue, "or just doing a mission for the clan?"
"You… Are you this tired of living? If I told you, you'll have to die, do you know that?" The tone of Gran was a bit aggressive, but it also was filled with his surprise.
In the clan, in the academy, even in the kingdom, not many could speak to him in such a carefree way.
The more Gran looked at William, the more he felt unsettled. After all, William's neck was still attached to his spear, making him wonder if this kid had loose screws in his head or what.
"So you were out there training," William nodded, and his remark made Gran more stirred up. "I want to hear about elder's opinion about porters."
"About what?!!" and just as Gran was this close from exploding in the face of William, even considering killing him regardless of anything else, William suddenly asked such a weird question.
"About us, porters. I know we are the lowest in the entire spirit master society. But I'm curious about the elder's opinion about people like me."
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm"You aren't a porter, or are you one?" Gran shifted his eyes over Ary, questioning what the latter said before to him. Ary couldn't help but inwardly curse for the blabbering mouth of William.
William just met this elder, and he wanted to get to know him better. William knew if he waited until they'd meet up with the Long clan's patriarch, then this elder might consider what he would say.
So if he wanted to know what a man truly this Gran was then this was the right moment to do so. Gran lowered his guard, underestimated William. so, he wouldn't care about what he'd say.
"I was one," William didn't give a direct answer, "but what about the elder's opinion about us?"
"What do you think an elder like me shall think about someone like you?" Gran pushed aside his anger and confusion and felt more curiosity to hear William's opinion about this.
"Well… For an elder like yourself, you shall not concern yourself with people like myself. But that doesn't mean you shall treat us badly, right?" William threw this bait back and waited for the elder's response.
"Treating you bad? A porter or a spirit master, if you cross the line then you'll pay the price just like anyone else. That's how I live my life."
'A straightforward righteous dude you are,' William inwardly commented over what Gran said, without exposing any of that over his face.
"Elder Gran, you arrived at last."
Just before William would say anything more, a spirit master recognised his elder before running at him.
"Lofias… What's wrong?" Gran seemed to recognise this young spirit master as well. Yet when Lofias once came closer, he spotted this weird group with his elder.
"This…" and just as he spotted the porter that was threatened by his elder's spear, he couldn't help but hesitate while gazing up and down at William.
William didn't know anything about the poster incident from before. So, he felt a little weird about the gazes of that spirit master.