Chapter 52. Escalation

“Lovetta, can you stop going at it with Luke? You have been getting so aggressive with him lately.” Ken pleaded with Lovetta as the group enjoyed a nice breakfast on a Sunday morning 2 months into the semester.

“But he won’t stop taunting you and he keeps on making snarky comments! I get so angry every time I see him!” Lovetta replied after she got in Luke’s face once again when he was taunting Ken when they first arrived at the dining hall.

“Lovetta, his words can’t hurt me, you know. But if you keep on getting in his face, sooner or later they will try something.” Ken replied, trying to calm the wolf girl down.

With a rough start to the semester where Clare was on edge from the incoming marriage since day one. Having Luke getting more cocky and back to his taunting ways was putting everyone in a more tense mood, especially Lovetta.

With her protectiveness over Ken, She and Luke have been butts heads more and more often even when Ken wanted no trouble to arise from the situation.

While Luke has been a thorn for many years now, one thing about him that had always impressed Ken was his constant growth and when he said he would no longer lose to Clare, it would see that he was telling the truth.

When Ken saw Luke sparring and training in the training facility or during physical classes where both are attending the expert level with Clare and Lovetta. Luke has definitely improved greatly from just a couple of months ago and it would seem whatever tip he got from the second ranked hero Julius has really made a difference in his overall abilities.

Unlike Luke or even Lovetta, Clare is now struggling on the physical side of things. While her elemental magic and written classes have kept pace and been getting better steadily, her weakness on the physical side is definitely starting to show as she gets closer to master level and her growth starts to stall.

Ken on the other hand is only growing faster and faster. With the one on one training he received from Fintan and daily help from Cecilla while sparring and training with the rest. While it took him much longer to reach expert level in physical than Lovetta did and elemental than Clare did and is still a ways off from catching up to Cecilla. There is little doubt that Ken has now surpassed both Clare and Lovetta and Luke is the only person in their class that might offer a challenge for the young man from claiming the top spot for the class.

“Can we take it easy today? Let’s head to town for some fun today. I am sick of studying and training.” Ken suggested.

“Isn’t there a play going on at the theater in town right now? We can do some light training and head out to town after lunch when Emma gets off work.” Seraphina offered while Ken nodded in agreement.

After the group finished breakfast, the group headed for the training facility in a good mood, ready to get some training done and go have some fun in town.

Their good mood was soon ruined when they ran into Luke once again who was already hard at training and acting nothing like the usual spoiled noble with sweat running down his cheeks from the effort he is putting into his training.

“Well, at least I can say that as annoying as Luke is. He is definitely putting in the work to get stronger and isn’t just partying around and doing nothing.” Ken commented while guiding the group to the opposite end far away from Luke.

For the majority of the morning, the two groups ignored each other and minded their own business training and just when Ken thought they could avoid any trouble. Luke would not make things easy for Ken and the girls.

“Commoner! Come and be the dummy for my practice.” Luke called out as Ken let out a sigh while walking over to comply with the request.

“Who are you calling a dummy!” Lovetta shouted as she rushed up to Luke before Ken could react to stop her.

“Lovetta stop!” Ken shouted as he rushed towards the pair to stop any type of escalation.

“Your mutt has more balls than you do, peasant. But you should train your dog better so it stops barking so much.” Luke said softly yet menacing so only Ken and Lovetta would hear.

“I will be your dummy, Luke. Be an adult please and stop egging on my girl.” Ken replied while separating the two.

Telling Lovetta to go back with the rest and to calm down, Ken spent the next hour being Luke’s target dummy as the noble and his friends had a great time practicing their moves on him while Ken just stood there and took the hits with a smile.

“That Luke sure is strong. I think he is closing on master level for sure.” Ken commented as Luke and his goons left the training facility to get lunch while the girls finally rejoined with Ken.

“Ken. You need to stop letting him treat you so poorly! What are you afraid of? I will go at him if you are scared.” Lovetta said heatedly.

“Lovetta. Stop getting baited by him! I am not afraid of him. I just don’t want the extra drama. You are the one that needs to calm down.” Ken advised once again to the wolf girl who only ever gets angry or agitated on his behalf.

“Come on Lovetta, let’s go meet up with Emma and have some lunch and head for the town. I am starving!” Ken declared while leading the girls to the dining hall.

After a small lunch so he could save his appetite for a large dinner, the group met up with Emma who just got off work and headed to town.

“I just can’t with you lately, Lovetta! You are so aggressive with Luke that I hope he doesn’t do anything to you.” Ken commented as the group walked towards town leisurely.

“I have had enough of him taunting you so much! You need to stop letting him talk down to you so much Ken.” Lovetta replied, not feeling any sort of remorse of all the trouble she was stirring up.

“Lovetta. I know you are doing it for me and I know you only get made because he is taunting me but just let him be! How many times do I have to tell you that.” Ken pleaded to deaf ears as Lovetta refused to listen to his reasoning.

After hanging around town and having fun relaxing and shopping around town. The group decided to settle at a nice rowdy restaurant to enjoy an early dinner so they could catch the play in the theater at 7pm.

No matter how Ken tried to persuade Lovetta to stop getting in Luke’s face and cause any trouble, she simply said that she would do whatever she sees fit while eating the table full of delicious food without the concern that Ken felt.

Giving up on trying to persuade her, Ken and the girls tried their best to enjoy the food and have fun while stopped worrying about Luke and the pain that he has become.

“Let’s go! I have never seen a play before! I guess that’s what you fancy rich people do isn’t it.” Ken wondered as the group got up from the satisfying meal.

“Not really. It’s not that expensive to get a ticket for the theater. Maybe if you want a private box or front row seats it will cost a bit extra but most commoners in Yelwraek will go enjoy a play on their day off or for a date.” Clare answered nonchalantly.

“Why didn’t either of you take me to one when I was in Yelwraek?” Ken demanded.

“You were only in Yelwarek for such a short time Ken. We didn’t have time to take you to do everything that we wanted.” Cecilla added as the group walked to the theater.

“Is he just going to be everywhere we go today?” Ken let out a sigh as they saw Luke, some of his friends and a few girls standing in line to get tickets for the play.

Pretending that he didn’t know the group, Ken and his girls got in line behind the noble and minded their own businesses but of course, Luke wasn’t going to let the chance meeting go to waste.

“Hey peasant. Will you or your mutt even understand something as refined as a theater play?” Luke taunted.

“Nope. I doubt we will but I do have some refined ladies with me that would no doubt be able to fill the rest of us in.” Ken replied calmly with a smile while pointing to the Yelwraek sisters.

“Must be tough having to deal with the country bumpkin, doesn't it?” Luke replied with a chuckle.

“Not really. Better dealing with him than a pretentious noble.” Clare countered as Luke’s group looked away, sensing the tension building.

“Anyways. Hope you have a great time with your friends Luke! Let's all just enjoy this Sunday off from classes and have fun at the play!” Ken interrupted so things won’t escalate.

With the ticket booth line moving fast, Luke’s attention turned away from Ken’s group rather quickly.

“I hope we are far far away from Luke and his groupie.” Ken said as they entered the theater.

Thankfully, his wish came true as he and the girls were able to enjoy the show without having to deal with Luke and everything was going smoothly until the play was over.

“That was a pretty cool play. I liked their interpretation of how the Great Reset happened.” Ken said happily to the girls as they got up and ready to head back.

“Hey commoner, come with us for a bit. You are a grown man so you won’t need any girls to protect you right?” Luke called out as Ken and the girls left the theater.

“Luke won’t do anything to me. You all head back first. I will see what he wants and catch up later.” Ken advised the girls and waved goodbye as he followed Luke and his groupie unwillingly.

“I will stay and wait for Ken.” Lovetta offered.

“You really shouldn’t Lovetta. He will get mad at you again if you keep getting into it with Luke and not listening to him when he tells you to calm down.” Emma offered to no avail as Lovetta refused to leave with the rest of the girls.

“What do you want Luke?” Ken asked casually as the group of nobles surrendered him like they were looking for trouble but obviously, Ken was too strong to be scared of a little formation and he also knows there is no way they would try anything physical.

“HEY! Your man is in trouble! I saw the nobles ganging up on him as if they were fighting!” A girl rushed to Lovetta with the news not long after Ken left with the nobles.

Without hesitation. Lovetta rushed towards the direction where Ken and the nobles disappeared with anger and rage building up inside of her ready to explode.