Lewd System: Every Scream and Moan is EXP

Chapter 279: Chapter 279 : Mysterious Cartoons

The announcement was made. The rules were communicated to both the participants and the spectators, whether they were inside the academy or watching from the other side of the world through broadcast runes.

The crowd was packed to the brim. Every single influential person had made their way to the academy for this final event. Every single one except for the Elf King and his family.

Aeliana’s Father and his household had returned to their domain due to some suspicious activities that required his immediate attention. His mother, who had left the academy days before him, had requested his presence for paperwork that apparently couldn’t wait even for a tournament final. So the Elven Royalty seat in the VIP box sat empty.

But apart from them, every other power had shown up in full force. There was the Mage Tower head, Archmage Rashida, observing from her elevated position with the patience of someone who had watched hundreds of tournaments and found most of them boring. Beside her sat representatives from various guilds who were here not for entertainment but for recruitment. Scouting the best students to poach the moment the final match ended.

And one among them was the guild master of Remnant Hall, Zoraven N. Eisfeld. The most powerful guild in existence, spread across most of the known kingdoms, housing the strongest mages and fighters this world had produced.

Zoraven turned to his side and said. ”Watch this closely. This fight will definitely tell you the power level of Astryx Academy’s students.”

He was talking to his daughter, Evangeline N. Eisfeld, who replied with a face that couldn’t have been less interested if she tried. ”Do you really think these guys are going to scare me for my upcoming boring academic life?”

Zoraven laughed so loudly that every head within a fifty-meter radius turned toward them. Then with the dramatic flair of a proud father who had been waiting for this moment, he said. ”That’s my girl!”

Then his tone shifted to something more grounded. ”But remember one thing. In the time you’ll be spending here for the next three years, never judge anyone based on how weak they look or how ’not so gifted’ they appear. I’m telling you from experience, people are quite a mystery. And this academy is always flooded with mysterious cartoons.”

He grinned. ”But I’m happy seeing your confidence. So make your father proud by dominating your academic life, which starts two weeks from now. And in doing so, don’t forget to enjoy every moment of it. These moments never come back.”

He leaned in. ”You know the story of your mother and father, right? How we met here and—”

Evangeline’s voice was completely flat. ”Could you not find a way to narrate that story for the six hundred and sixty-ninth time?”

Zoraven punched his own thigh in disappointment. But before he could launch into another attempt at sentimentality, Evangeline spoke up with genuine curiosity.

”On the mention of confidence, Father. That professor you mentioned. Isn’t he looking way too confident?” She had been analyzing Jax for quite some time now. ”He’s just enjoying the preparation time instead of strategizing. From the looks of it, he’s joking around and mocking his own students.”

Zoraven took a sip of his beer and said. ”Or maybe he’s accepted defeat. Because I checked the odds at the betting table. It’s one point fifteen times return for his opponents and ten times for his team’s win.”

Evangeline glared at him. ”Don’t tell me you placed a bet again. Father, I am telling Mother.”

His face went pale. ”Hey, don’t do this to your dear father. Have you forgotten how I used to hold your little hand and walk you through the—”

She cut in cold. ”Don’t blackmail me. I’ve already made up my mind.” Then she paused. ”Oh, and which side did you place your bet on?”

He said with the defeated tone of a man who already knew what was coming when he got home. ”Of course Zharina’s team. I poured every last saving of mine on them. It was the safest investment. Fastest and most guaranteed return.”

Evangeline sighed deeply. ”Dad, you are done for. Mother is either going to kill you or have you disowned from your own house and the Eisfeld family.”

Zoraven went into full panic mode. ”Hey, don’t say these cursed words! You know if that happens you’ll have no one to call Father! Oh wait, what am I saying? Rather, what are you even saying?”

Evangeline ignored his spiral and said. ”Because I’m having a gut feeling that this professor’s side might be the reason for your misery. I’m unable to see the losing mindset you mentioned. All I can see is that they’ve already considered themselves the victors.”

Her eyes stayed locked on Jax as his demeanor shifted from those teasing smiles and grins to something completely opposite.

She smiled to herself and muttered. ”You were right about one thing, Father. This stupid place is quite mysterious. Maybe my time here will be fun after all. Who knows.”

On the other side, Jax’s face had gone serious as the participants were told to move to the teleportation block. He gathered his team for the last time and gave his final counsel.

”Now it’s time to lock in. And for my last piece of advice, remember one truth. No one in that arena is inherently better than you. Dominance is born in the mind. If you don’t bow your head, no one can ever look down on you.”

His voice carried the weight of someone who had lived by these words.

”And trust me when I say that I have conquered odds the world called absolute simply because my mind refused to acknowledge defeat. So go out there and prove the world wrong. Prove your parents wrong. Outgrow your boundaries until the universe itself feels suffocatingly small.”

He looked at both of them.

”Take the win for yourselves. And then lay it at my feet.”

Resolve settled on both their faces. But the seriousness lasted exactly five seconds before Astrid broke it.

”And if it feels like you can’t do it, just remember that your teammate Astrid defeated the top student of the academy without even sweating.”

Jax gave her a dramatic look. ”Without sweating? You weren’t able to even stand. I still remember your face, your muttering in your dreams about fighting for a steak when I carried you back to the medical hall after you passed out.”

Astrid rolled up her sleeve, launched a punch which Jax caught effortlessly. She protested. ”Why can’t you just take a hit, you asshole!”

Jax only grinned and that’s when Astrid realized how stupid she must look right now in front of everyone. She went full beetroot and said in a panicky breaking voice. ”That was because I was tired from my matchups! But trust me, I’ll prove my words with my rematch against senior Karina!”

She cutely folded her hands as if that would make the argument more convincing.

What she didn’t know was that Jax had already told Roxana, Elira, and Seraphina to hide everything about yesterday’s wager from the rest of the group. And the main reason was standing right in front of him folding her arms. If Astrid found out that Jax had bet his freedom, this match wouldn’t happen. Because there would be a full-scale war inside the academy with this nuisance leading an entire army.

Seris broke through the fun with genuine confusion. ”By the way, Astrid. How are you holding yourself for this long? I mean, he is humiliating you. Mocking you. And you’re still here doing nothing.”

She tilted her head.

”The Astrid I knew would have either walked away or plotted something so evil that she would be sharing it with me while grinning at her own imagination.”

Roxana also stared at her with suspicions of her own.

Astrid went nervous for a split second. Then she composed herself. Her voice returned to its flat royal tone. Arms still folded. Ears still burning red.

”You are imagining things. And who said I’m not plotting anything?”

She stared directly at Jax. ”I’m just waiting for the right opportunity to have my revenge on him.”