Chapter 17 - Unexpected Situation
The sudden question came as a surprise for Lina followed by dejection. Matters relating to awakeners were like poking at her sore spot. She could faintly remember when she was young and asked to drink the poison that would seal her talent forever.
The tragedy of the royal family was something that affected the whole kingdom. The Greene family had always been a line of loyal subjects to the crown. But unclear complication and confusion had made them out to be viewed on the wrong side. In fact, several other small noble families were also implicated despite being innocent.
It was a sensitive period and the Queen didn't want to leave any possible traitors go unpunished. Perhaps the queen would regret her impulsiveness that was ruled by her rage years later, but the deed has already been done. They have no antidote for the Water of Absolute Nothingness, but this might not be a problem for Leon if he was presented to solve the problem.
However, he is in the dark regarding Lina's condition. The event was something that happened almost 17 years ago and not many students knew about it because some weren't old enough to think for themselves, while others weren't even born yet.
The subject was also taboo, and no one dares speaks about it. Otherwise Lina wouldn't be able to be respected by her students if they were fully aware that she was doomed to be ordinary. They thought she was just like them, who are unable to get their hands on some Awakening Pills as the pills were distributed to their more important family members first.
"I don't know much at all about Awakeners. What I know are all common knowledge. Why do you ask?" Lina shook her head before asking curiously.
Leon smiled wryly. He thought he could learn more about awakeners from her mouth. He wanted to understand the nature of awakeners so he could figure out if it was safe for him to awaken his own bloodline ability. He could refine a True Awakening Pill for himself, but he didn't want to awaken so recklessly. If the ability was incompatible and conflicted with his own Divine practice, then he would stand to lose more than he would have gained from it.
'Maybe I should ask the old man next time I pay him a visit to refine more pills for him.' Leon decided.
"Never mind, I was just curious."
"Ah I see." Lina said, seeing Leon didn't have any intention to continue the subject.
"Sorry for the wait, here are your 500-gram Amur Tiger steak and 200-gram Grizzly Bear steak. I hope you both enjoy a pleasant meal." The waiter brought out the meals and said courteously with a smile before leaving.
The strong aroma made their way to both their noses, instantly whetting their appetites as they remembered they were famished. They couldn't wait to devour the meat in front them as their stomach rumbled. Table manners and their faces could go down the drain. What was the use of faces anyway? Could it be eaten? They came from humble backgrounds to begin with. One had always lived the commoner's life, while the other only is living a similar lifestyle with and only had vague memories of her noble childhood.
The waitress was shocked at their behavior.
'Are they the reincarnation of some starving beast? How can they enjoy their food like that? It's not like the food would run away.'
"Damn this is some good stuff." Leon said while chewing with his mouth full. He was pleasantly surprised. The beast meat was endowed with spirit energy. He could feel the benefits from refining the energy as he ate. It was better than taking some pills, which would leave behind lingering pill toxins.
On Lina's side was a different story. After they had finished eating, her face was red embarrassment. She had lost all her reasoning and ate with great gusto and in an unladylike manner. Her body had moved on its own.
'Ah... What have I done? I want to find a hole to crawl myself in.' She didn't know how to face people from now of if word of it got out.
"Phew~ We should eat here more often." Leon rubbed his belly with a satisfied smile.
Lina blushed with anger as she stamped his foot under the table.
"Hey, what was that for? Didn't you enjoy the meal?" Leon was startled. This wasn't the reaction he was expecting.
Lina stared at him with daggers in her eyes.
'Won't I die from embarrassment if I keep eating like that?'
Leon scratched the back of his head, not sure what the problem was.
"Huh? Teacher Lina, are you alright?"
"What do you mean? I'm feeling f-fine... huh? That's weird. What's wrong with me?" Lina suddenly felt lightheaded as her body started burning up.
Leon had asked because he noticed her nose was bleeding.
"Ah what's wrong with me? I feel so hot." Lina started squirming as she felt very uncomfortable.
Leon dashed to her side and felt her pulse.
'Oh shit. What do I do?" Was the first thing he could think of.
He had immediately figure out her body's situation from feeling her pulse. For some reason her body was unable to absorb the spirit energy from the bear meat and all her pores were closed, trapping the energy inside her body to run amok and making her body burn up, like overheating. What made matters worse was the Grizzly Bear was align to the fire element. Its spirit energy-rich meat would be infused with fire element. It was like adding oil to the fire.
He didn't think he would come across a person with the Heaven's Lock Confined Body constitution. It may sound amazing, but such body constitution was considered the lowest of all constitutions suitable for cultivation. People with such constitution was unable to cultivate energy and doomed to live an ordinary life.
Leon knitted his eyebrow into a frown. This wasn't a natural born Heaven's Lock Confined Body, but an artificially made one.
Her life would be in danger if he doesn't do something about her present situation but if he did then she might learn some of his secrets. He wasn't sure he could fully trust her yet, but she did fall into this situation because of him. Despite having a teacher-student relationship, she could also be considered the first genuine friend he made. He wasn't cold-blooded and if he let her die because of him, then it would become a knot in his heart. That knot could fester into a mental demon and impede his future Divine practice.
Leon shook his head of the useless thoughts.
'There's no time to think so much.'
Leon lift her up and carried her like a princess. He proceeded to dashed pass the waitress and out of the steakhouse. The direction he was heading in was the direction of the Cromwell's villa.
He had seen the Royal hospital medical standard and didn't think they would be able to treat his teacher.
"Eeeek-" The waitress felt a gust of wind blew past and the pair had disappeared.
The sudden situation was to abrupt for the waitress to process quickly.
'Huh? Did they just dine and dash? My commission!' The waitress despaired with her eyes wide. However, it didn't take long before she felt something amiss. Her chest pocket felt heavier and notice there was 6000 craws cash in her pocket. 5700 for the bill and 300 tips. Why did she get 300 craws tip? Thinking back carefully, she felt like someone had brush against her chest with their hand.
She thought about the boy that just left.
'Did he tip me to cop a feel?' The waitress felt a bit angry and embarrassed, 'he's so bad~.'
In fact, she was thinking too much. It was a complete accident on Leon's part. He just wanted to tip her for her excellent customer service but he was in a rush.
"What's wrong, Mary? Why did you scream?" Another waitress came and asked with concern.
"E-eh? It-it was n-nothing." Mary blushed.
"Hmm... alright. As long as you're alright." The new waitress was a bit suspicious but didn't pry deeper into the matter. It wasn't her business to be nosy.
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"Huh?" Rubbing his eyes, Cayden thought there was something wrong with his vision. He has been on guard after learning that Leon and Lina were dining in the steakhouse. He had been keeping a tight watch on the entrance of the steakhouse since then.
He was planning on spying on them in the steakhouse but felt it wasn't a good idea. There wasn't any good place to hide in there since Leon had seen them.
He decided to follow them secretly after they left instead. He wanted to know what relationship Leon with Lina was. However, all he saw was a momentary blur, before he lost them.
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Leon sneezed while he was making speed for Cromwell's villa. He felt someone was thinking or speaking about him. He subconsciously felt his own hand, as if he felt something nice a moment ago.
"It's so hot~" Lina wanted to strip herself. Leon stopped her with his hands. He was travelling fast, but the cold night breeze doesn't seem to be alleviating her symptoms.
Lina's condition was growing severe. She could no longer think straight as her vision blurred. Leon could also feel her burning hot body in her arms. His own body was originally quite warm but grew relatively cooler from brushing with the cold breeze in the night.
She dazedly reached out her arms and wrapped it around Leon's neck as she wanted to bring herself closer to whatever cold source was within her reach to cool her own body down.
"Stop fooling around. I will make you feel better soon." Leon tried making distance with his head.
He wanted to treat her at the villa since it was relatively close and more convenient, but his words came out a bit ambiguous. He was also stimulated by Lina's actions and was quite self-conscious of it.
She was after all; a beauty and he was a man. His sexual orientation was normal. It would be strange if he didn't have a reaction. His natural reaction put him in an awkward spot. He didn't want to take advantage of his teacher as it was morally wrong. He could only endure and carry on.
Within minutes, they arrived at the villa.