Chapter 2

Caleb's glare left Susie feeling like a terrifying beast was watching her, leaving her cringing in fear and hiding behind Delilah.

Even though Caleb only used to be Zoronda's most powerful freak, Susie was still intimidated.

Still, she soon remembered that he was a loser now. Why did she have to fear him? What a joke!

Delilah was scowling too, and her fingers clenched tightly around the sword that gleamed in blue radiance.

Just feeling the potent Reiki ripples unfurling from it left her unable to part with it.

And then there was Caleb's dimensional ring that could carry even living objects… Her heart definitely bled over losing something so extraordinary!

Grief showing all over her face, she snapped at Caleb, "How could you be so despicable? Taking back what you gave me? What was it you said? That you'd love me forever, and you'd never hurt me or make me sad? Just look at what you're doing now!"

She was definitely reluctant to return Caleb's gifts when each was so precious and valuable.

That was especially the case for the black ring and the Snow Maiden Sword, which she really needed for the Derby in two weeks.

Held at the academy, even Sanctuarians would be attending the Derby.

And that meant it was Delilah's only ticket to Sanctuary, which was why she needed the Snow Maiden Sword all the more!

It was a sky-grade weapon, and even clan elders across Zoronda yearned for something like that.

"Heh…"

Caleb chuckled calmly. "Weren't you saying you wanted us to go our separate ways? Everything I listed belongs to me and bears my family crest."

His eyes narrowing, his voice turned cool as he continued, "This is neither a joke nor a discussion. Return everything to me, or the Goldings will be an enemy of the Crawfords, and we won't rest until you're destroyed!"

As they finished, the crowd around them was left abuzz as they gaped at Caleb in shock.

"Woah…"

"Gosh, Caleb wouldn't even have dared raise his voice around Delilah a year ago. Is that man still really Caleb?"

"Tut, tut. Talk about charisma… 'We won't rest until you're destroyed'? Let's see if the Goldings are brave enough to stand their ground against the Crawfords!"

"The Goldings? Really? You know that the Crawfords are one of the strongest families in Zoronda. Their might is there for all to see!"

"I mean, if the engagement is going to be annulled, it's perfectly reasonable to return the presents too, right? To think that Delilah only cares to receive and refuses to return them. The audacity!"

Delilah's expression darkened as the crowd around them mocked her out loud, and her eyes darted everywhere while her knuckles turned pale from clenching on the Snow Maiden Sword.

But since she had decided to dump Caleb anyway, Delilah decided to give up on vanity. She snorted and said, "Hah! You have no cultivation, and you can't even protect yourself, Caleb! Do you really think you're still the heir to the Crawfords, and that you still speak for them? You must be kidding!"

In her mind, now that Caleb had lost his cultivation, the Crawfords would definitely strip him off his position as heir, and the other clan members would also be conspiring to kill him!

And in Calebton, or perhaps even all of Zoronda, internal disputes within clans were simply commonplace!

That was when an icy voice barked, "Yes! Caleb Crawford still speaks for the Crawford clan!"

Even as Delilah shuddered, everyone turned to find a big man with thick, dark hair and a gruff demeanor striding toward the center.

A boundless, imposing might seemed to extend from him as he walked.

Over dozens of youths were right behind him, and all of them hurried toward Caleb, bowing in salutation.

"Young Master!"

"Young Master!"

There was no lie in their greeting or their excitement, and their presence certainly rocked the hall.

Even as the onlookers backed away in surprise, Caleb smiled at the middle-aged man leading them. "Greetings, Elder Jax."

Jax was the ninth elder of the Crawford clan, and the man was pumping his fist in excitement as he laughed. "Haha! Welcome back, Caleb! I know you wouldn't die that easily!"

Pausing, he then asked in concern, "By the way, where have you been? You were gone for a year. What happened?"

Caleb smiled. "It's a long story. Let's talk when we're home."

"Haha! Of course!"

Jax nodded repeatedly before turning to a scowling Delilah with a sharp glare and growling, "Girl, you will return all the gifts you've received since you're asking to annul the engagement. It is my demand as well—or are you going to refuse?"

Even as Delilah's face turned pale from Jax's menacing presence and scary glare and she stumbled backward, a middle-aged woman strode up, snapping, "Hah! To think that an Elder of the Crawford clan, and a Skylord-ranked one at that, would bully a young maiden! Is that all you can do?"

Seeing the woman, Delilah's face lit up as she found her confidence again and hurried over to bow to her. "Master Larkin!"

"Mother," Susie called out as she hurried over to Ryona Larkin as well, abruptly feeling as if Jax's menacing presence had diminished.

However, Jax was not holding back despite Ryona's intervention, and he even snorted coolly. "Ah, so this is why little Delilah has become brazen that she would only take without giving back… She's been taught exactly that! Tut, tut… You learn something new every day!"

"Watch your mouth!" Ryona glared furiously at Jax.

"Then shut up! This isn't any of your business!" Jax bellowed back tempestuously before turning at Delilah with a sinister glare. "Are you going to return the young master's possessions or not? If you refuse, I'll return home to rally every able-bodied clan member and wage war on your house!"

Everyone around them gasped audibly at Jax's threat, clearly thunderstruck.

Even if Caleb's earlier threat didn't mean anything, Jax's threat definitely did!

"My goodness… But that's Elder Jax for you. Such an impressive temper."

"Tut, tut. He's always been famous for being hot-tempered, murderous, and a master of the blade! Even the Lord of Zoronda has to show him due respect!"

"Oof. To think that Zoronda's prettiest face is actually that thick-skinned! She wants to annul her engagement while keeping all the presents given!"

"Exactly. Those cheeks are fair, but that heart is completely dark."

"That's right. She clearly wants to dump Caleb after he's lost his cultivation, so that she has a shot with that Sanctuarian heir. But then, she's also reluctant to part with Caleb's presents. What even is that mindset? It's just unseemly!"

Even as everyone clamored, Delilah scowled like she had swallowed a fly.

This wasn't what she expected!

A year ago, Celeb would have been begging her not to leave and keep showering her with gifts to cheer her up.

But now, he had changed!

She knew it—all men were pigs, always changing their minds!

Despite all the sweet things Caleb had said to her before, he was now treating her like dirt anyway!

Even as indignation flared in her heart, her expression turned meek, miserable, and even helpless as tears welled up in her eyes.

However, instead of earning anyone's sympathy, everyone was ridiculing her even more.

"Gosh, did you see that?! She actually feels hurt?!"

"Whoa, her tears definitely earn her a lot of sympathy, but just remembering how heartless she was before sickens me!"

"Shit, and she's acting so aggrieved like Caleb's the one bullying her."

"Exactly. He even said it—he doesn't mind annulling their engagement, but she just has to return everything he gave her. It's that simple!"

"She probably wants to dump him but keep the goodies…"

The words of the onlooking crowd clawed at Delilah's nerves, and she really wanted to bury her head in the sand right then!

However, she soon mustered herself and threw the dimensional ring and the Snow Maiden Sword at Caleb.