CHAPTER 72 — THE DAY AFTER THE CHAMPIONSHIP

The morning after the tournament, the academy was not normal. Or rather... The academy was normal. The anomaly was 1-A. Percy and Clara were walking side by side down the corridor.

Their hands were intertwined as usual. But today, something was different. People weren't looking at Percy. They were looking at Clara. At first, Clara tried to ignore it.

She failed. A few second-year students walked past them. All of their gazes turned to Clara. One of the first-years whispered to their friend.

"The Champion."

Clara's steps quickened slightly. Percy noticed this immediately. The corner of his lips curled up. Then he spoke loudly.

"The Champion arrives."

Clara's head snapped toward him instantly.

"Percy."

Percy looked at the other students.

"Make way."

"Percy."

"The first-year champion is passing."

"Shut up."

Percy turned to Clara.

"Of course, Champion."

Clara's eyes narrowed. Percy managed to hold it together for a few seconds. Then he burst into laughter. Clara didn't let go of his hand. But she squeezed his fingers a little too tight.

"That hurts."

"Good."

"Champions shouldn't resort to violence."

"You do."

"I am not the champion."

Clara stopped. Percy stopped with her. Clara looked quite serious.

"For now."

Percy's smile vanished. Clara continued walking. Percy stared after her.

"Stop stealing my lines!"

Clara tugged at his hand, dragging him along.

"It's mine now."

"THIEF!"

The students in the corridor erupted into laughter. Clara's ears flushed red.

When they entered 1-A, the situation was worse. Nathaniel leaped to his feet the moment he saw them. He threw his arms wide open.

"THE CHAMPION HAS ARRIVED!"

Clara froze. Percy looked at Nathaniel. Then, a slow smile spread across his face. Clara saw it.

"No."

Percy drew a breath.

"THE CHAM—"

Clara clamped her hand over his mouth. The class burst into laughter. Percy tried to speak. No sound came out. Clara glared at him.

"One more word."

Percy nodded. Clara removed her hand. Percy took a deep breath.

"Champion."

Clara grabbed her book. Percy fled. Arthur stepped away from the door.

"I'm staying out of this."

William also pushed his chair back.

"A wise decision."

Nathaniel was cheering.

"HIT HIM, CHAMPION!"

Percy yelled as he ran.

"TRAITOR!"

Nathaniel fell silent instantly. Clara stopped chasing Percy. Wycliffe walked in at exactly that moment. He surveyed the classroom. Percy was at the far end of the room.

Clara had a book in her hand. Nathaniel was standing up. Wycliffe closed his eyes.

"It's only the second day."

Percy objected immediately.

"I didn't do anything."

Clara raised her book.

"He did."

"Freedom of speech."

"Harassment."

"Is calling someone 'champion' harassment?"

"If you say it thirty times, yes."

Wycliffe walked to the podium.

"Nobody is beating anyone up today."

Percy returned to his seat.

"I didn't beat anyone yesterday either—"

Wycliffe leveled a look at him. Percy sat down.

"Fine."

Wycliffe opened the folder in front of him. The chatter in the classroom slowly died down.

"The tournament results are finalized."

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Nathaniel's back straightened instantly. Percy noticed this. Clara had noticed it too. Wycliffe continued.

"The rewards are also finalized."

The playful expression on Nathaniel's face vanished. Percy watched him quietly. Wycliffe turned the first page.

"First place."

Clara held her breath.

"Clara Leyvar."

The class started clapping. Clara smiled involuntarily.

"Reward."

Wycliffe lowered his eyes to the paper.

"One hundred thousand AWE-dollars."

Nathaniel's jaw dropped.

"ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND?"

Clara's eyes had widened too. Percy leaned toward her.

"You're rich."

Clara looked at him.

"You have money too."

"You're richer."

"What's the difference?"

Wycliffe moved to the next line.

"Second place."

"Percy Grant."

Percy perked up.

"Ninety-nine thousand AWE-dollars."

The class remained silent for a few seconds. Then Nathaniel burst into a roar of laughter.

"ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS!"

Percy's face fell. Clara pressed her lips together. Percy looked at her.

"Don't laugh."

Clara's shoulders trembled.

"I'm not laughing."

"You are laughing."

"I am not."

Nathaniel was pounding the desk.

"ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND!"

Then he pointed at Percy.

"NINETY-NINE!"

Percy glared at him.

"Nathaniel."

Nathaniel shut up. Two seconds later, he started again.

"YOU LOST BY ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS!"

Percy stood up. Nathaniel pushed his chair back.

"JOKE!"

Clara was openly laughing now. Percy turned to her.

"You too?"

Clara checked her pocket. Percy gave her a suspicious look.

"What are you doing?"

"Checking if I have a thousand dollars to spare."

The class erupted again. Percy covered his face with his hands.

"I hate this class."

Arthur shook his head.

"No."

"You don't."

Percy lowered his hands.

"Right now, I kind of do."

Wycliffe tapped on the desk.

"May I continue?"

Percy sat down.

"Go ahead."

"Third place."

Wycliffe announced the result.

"Seventy-five thousand AWE-dollars."

"Fourth through tenth places..."

"Fifty thousand AWE-dollars each."

New whispers began to ripple through the class. Wycliffe went on.

"Eleventh place."

"Forty-five thousand AWE-dollars."

Nathaniel's hands clasped together. Percy was no longer smiling. Clara was looking at Nathaniel too. Wycliffe moved down to the next line.

"Twelfth place."

Nathaniel held his breath.

"Nathaniel."

Nathaniel's throat bobbed. Wycliffe lifted his eyes from the paper.

"In addition to the standard reward..."

The class went dead silent. Nathaniel's expression shifted. Wycliffe continued.

"Due to your rate of growth prior to the tournament..."

"And your ability to demonstrate it during the tournament..."

"A special development grant has been awarded."

Nathaniel didn't move a muscle.

"Seventy-five thousand AWE-dollars."

Nathaniel's eyes went wide. But Wycliffe wasn't finished.

"Your academy scholarship has been increased to one hundred percent."

Nathaniel forgot to breathe. A small smile touched Percy's face. Clara's eyes softened. Wycliffe picked up the last sheet of paper.

"And..."

This time, Eleanor stepped forward. Nathaniel had only just noticed her. Eleanor had been standing at the back of the classroom. She held a small key in her hand. Nathaniel stared at the key.

Then at Eleanor. Eleanor walked toward him. The classroom was utterly silent. Nathaniel had even forgotten to stand up. Eleanor stopped in front of him.

"There are houses at the back of the academy."

Nathaniel gave a slow nod. He knew. They were near the residences the teachers used. Eleanor held up the key in her hand.

"One of those houses is now yours."

Nathaniel's face went completely blank. It was as if he hadn't understood a thing. Eleanor went on.

"Yours and your mother's."

Nathaniel blinked.

"What?"

Eleanor placed the key on his desk.

"It has been transferred to you."

Nathaniel stared at the key. No one spoke. Nathaniel parted his lips. No sound came out. He tried again.

"Ours?"

"Yes."

Nathaniel picked up the key. His fingers were trembling.

"My mom..."

His voice broke. Nathaniel stopped immediately. He bowed his head. Percy didn't stir from his seat. Arthur didn't stir either.

William took off his glasses. Charlotte's eyes were brimming with tears. Marcus watched Nathaniel in silence. Nathaniel squeezed the key in his palm.

"My mom won't have to..."

He couldn't continue. His breath shuddered. A single teardrop fell onto his desk. Nathaniel stared at it. As if he didn't understand where it had come from.

Then a second one fell. Nathaniel hurriedly wiped his face.

"I..."

He took a breath. It didn't work. He took another. Still didn't work.

"I'm not crying."

Nobody laughed. Nathaniel realized this. That made it worse. His lower lip quivered.

"My mom won't have to work so hard anymore?"

Eleanor's voice softened.

"With this scholarship, she doesn't have to work at all."

Nathaniel's eyes squeezed shut. The tears didn't stop.

"In the mornings..."

His voice cracked again.

"She leaves before I wake up."

Clara's eyes welled up. Nathaniel tried to go on.

"Sometimes she comes back at night."

"I'm already asleep."

He sniffled.

"She leaves dinner on the table."

Nathaniel let out a laugh. But the laugh broke halfway through.

"I eat it in the morning."

Percy lowered his gaze to the floor. Nathaniel looked down at the key.

"Now..."

He couldn't speak for a long time. At last, he whispered.

"We can eat dinner together."

Charlotte turned her face away. William pretended to clean his glasses. Arthur's jaw was clenched tight. Percy's eyes never left Nathaniel. Nathaniel was no longer hiding it.

The seven-year-old boy was crying. Not silently. He was really crying. His shoulders were shaking. He was gasping for air.

But he wouldn't let go of the key. Clara rose from her chair. She walked over to Nathaniel. Nathaniel tried to wipe his face.

"Champion..."

Clara stopped in front of him. Nathaniel couldn't look at her. Clara wrapped her arms around him. Nathaniel froze. Clara held him a little tighter.

"I am proud of you."

Nathaniel's face crumpled once more.

"Don't."

Clara pulled back.

"Don't what?"

Nathaniel sniffled.

"When you talk like that, I cry even more."

Clara smiled. Then she reached into her pocket. Percy raised an eyebrow when he saw this. Clara pulled a small package out of her pocket. Nathaniel looked at it through his tears.

Clara opened the package. Inside was a sandwich. Nathaniel stopped crying. His eyes widened. Clara held the sandwich out to him.

Nathaniel looked at the sandwich first. Then at Clara. Back at the sandwich. His eyes had practically bulged out of his head.

"Is this..."

Clara nodded.

"Yours."

Nathaniel took the sandwich with both hands. The boy who had been sobbing a second ago was gone.

"MY FAVORITE CLASSMATE!"

Percy's head shot up instantly.

"HEY!"

Nathaniel was already stuffing his face with the sandwich. Clara let out a laugh. Percy pointed at Nathaniel.

"I trained you for eleven days!"

Nathaniel spoke with his mouth full.

"Clara is in the lead right now!"

"With a sandwich?"

Nathaniel nodded.

"Yes."

Percy looked at Clara as if he had been utterly betrayed. Clara shrugged.

"Strategy."

William put his glasses back on.

"Remarkably cost-effective."

Arthur chimed in:

"And efficient."

Percy shook his head back and forth.

"Unbelievable."

Nathaniel took a second bite. There were still tears in his eyes. But he was smiling now. The key was still in his other hand. A sandwich in one hand.

The key to his new home in the other. Nathaniel looked back and forth between the two. Then he started crying again. This time, while laughing. Clara sat down beside him.

Percy moved to his other side. Neither of them said a word. Nathaniel kept eating his sandwich. After a while, Wycliffe spoke.

"Thirteenth through twentieth..."

"Forty thousand AWE-dollars."

"Twentieth through fiftieth..."

"Twenty thousand AWE-dollars."

"All remaining participants..."

"Will receive one thousand AWE-dollars."

Nathaniel raised his hand. Wycliffe looked at him.

"What is it?"

Nathaniel sniffled.

"Is the seventy-five thousand paid upfront?"

Wycliffe closed his eyes. The class burst into laughter. Nathaniel took another bite of his sandwich.

"What?"

"It's an important question."

Percy laughed, leaning back in his chair. Clara patted Nathaniel's head. Nathaniel immediately shielded his sandwich. Clara raised an eyebrow. Nathaniel paused.

Then he offered the sandwich to her.

"Do you want some?"

Clara laughed.

"No."

Nathaniel looked relieved.

"Good."

Percy looked at him.

"She was your favorite classmate a minute ago."

Nathaniel pulled his sandwich close to his chest.

"Love has its limits."

Arthur laid his head on the desk. William closed his eyes. Charlotte started laughing again. Eleanor looked at the key in Nathaniel's hand. Nathaniel, without realizing it, looked at it too.

His smile slowly shifted. It grew smaller. It grew more real.

"My mom will be so happy."

This time, no one made a joke. Percy patted Nathaniel lightly on the shoulder. Clara stayed right beside him, too. Nathaniel took another bite of his sandwich. And tears fell from his eyes again.

But he didn't wipe them away.

END OF CHAPTER