Mystical Fantasy : The Lazy Real Young Master [EN]
Chapter 8 - 2.2 : The Shadow and the School

Chapter 8: Chapter 2.2 : The Shadow and the School

Al strolled casually along the sidewalks of Makazhar City, hands tucked into the pockets of his hoodie. Though he didn’t know every turn or alley in this part of town, he could still feel the lines of magical energy woven into the streets. Every building, pedestrian—even the birds perched on power lines—left traces of their own magical presence.

But one stood out.

Since stepping out of the house, he had sensed a faint aura following him. The distance remained consistent, the steps were silent, and more importantly—there was no killing intent. It was the same aura as the ones who had been tailing him last night.

Another spy? A professional this time?

Al slowed his pace.

"Huff... another pain to deal with," he muttered under his breath, slightly annoyed.

He sharpened his senses—visual, olfactory, and especially... magical resonance.

The person was two buildings behind him, positioned on the rooftop of an electronics store. Not approaching—just watching.

Definitely someone from the family. Maybe one of Dad’s men keeping tabs on me, Al thought.

Since there was no certainty and no threat intent, Al had no reason to obliterate or spook the stalker. Still, being watched rubbed him the wrong way.

A small smile curved on his lips. He moved two fingers inside his hoodie pocket, tracing a faint sigil before casting a minor spell.

Skill: Perspective Manipulation

A subtle, small magic circle appeared at his fingertip—almost invisible. A light illusion spell activated, one so faint most wouldn’t even detect it. It warped perception ever so slightly, cloaking Al from the spy’s field of view.

---

From the rooftop, a figure clad in black with a thin mask watched silently as the target stopped at a traffic light.

Morning traffic was picking up—office workers, students, street vendors—all blending into the crosswalk crowd.

His target, the young man named Al, stood there with a blank expression.

The light turned green.

Hundreds crossed the street.

Then—Al vanished.

"?!"

The observer leaned forward in shock. The boy was just there—no sound, no blur. Gone.

"Where did he go?!" he hissed.

His eyes darted through the crowd.

Nothing.

Panic surged through him. He jumped down from the rooftop, landing in a narrow alley, then melted into the shadows of nearby storefronts and utility poles. His body seemed to disappear into the darkness itself.

He scanned a radius of 300 meters, then 500. No trace. No disturbance. No one suspicious. Magic? Impossible. He assumed Al had no magical energy.

Anxiety climbed higher. He racked his brain—considered the nearby school zones, and remembered the nearby international academy. But he shook his head.

"No way... there’s no way he could’ve entered that school. The tuition alone is insane—and look at how he dresses..." he muttered, frustrated.

But reality hit hard. He had lost the target.

Grinding his teeth, he muttered,

"Damn it. If Young Master David hears about this, I’m—"

Turns out, the shadow was one of David’s men—sent to keep tabs on Al.

---

Elsewhere, behind the tall gates of Hazandeen International High School, Al stood with a satisfied smirk.

"Maybe I should file a complaint to Father about this surveillance nonsense. It’s way more fun to just vanish from under their noses," he said, brushing imaginary dust from his shoulder.

He still suspected the stalker was someone his father sent.

That aura was now far off—frantically searching in the wrong direction.

Stretching his arms, Al looked up at the clear blue sky.

"Well then... time to play the good student."

His steps were light. As if nothing had happened.

The grand gates of black metal and bronze slowly opened as Al walked through. This wasn’t just any school. This was Hazandeen International High School, a place where the elite and brilliant were groomed to be future leaders—not just of Indorosia, but the world.

The school operated directly under the Alasia Indorosia Foundation, a branch of the global Alasia Foundation, a philanthropic arm of Alasia Group, the third-highest valued conglomerate in the world, based in the Unistated of Ameria.

At the main gate, a security guard munching on a sandwich froze mid-bite when he saw Al.

"Huh? Al?"

Al turned, offering a relaxed smile.

"Morning, Mister Security."

The guard set his sandwich down and stood up stiffly.

"You’re... not a morning class student, right? What are you doing here this early?"

Al paused. His eyes flicked toward the sky as he scratched his head.

"Uh, well... let’s just say I wanted to see the lovely girls who attend the morning classes. Hahaha."

He forced a grin, clearly improvising a poor excuse. "Nice weather, isn’t it? Anyway, I’ll be going ahead."

The guard stared at him with a confused—and slightly disturbed—expression, while Al turned around and waved casually, as if he hadn’t just said something inappropriate.

---

Inside the school grounds, beyond a small, rarely visited garden shaded by a tall tree, Al stood alone.

He scanned the area, ensuring no eyes were watching. Not even CCTV.

Then, raising his right hand, he spoke in a flat tone:

"Gather."

As if summoned, two men stepped out of thin air—concealed by minor illusions.

They looked young—probably in their twenties or thirties.

One wore a full school security uniform. The other, a formal suit—looking like a teacher or academic staff member.

They bowed deeply.

"Master," they said in unison.

Al sighed and asked,

"Were you two spying on me again?"

The suited man replied,

"Apologies, Master. We acted because of a suspicious figure tailing you. He lost your trail at the crosswalk. He’s currently combing the city area. Identity still unknown, but we’ve seen him lurking since you left your house."

The security guard added,

"He displayed no killing intent, but his movements suggest assassin-level training. Possibly a spy. Shall we eliminate him?"

Al shook his head.

"No need. Just watch and confirm his identity. He might be someone sent by my father," Al replied lazily. "Also—please. You know I hate being watched. Keep your distance. Focus on your jobs here at school."

His tone grew sharper.

The two men exchanged glances, but said nothing.

Al gave a crooked smile and waved them off.

"No need to overthink. Just move when I give the word."

They bowed low once again.

"Yes, Master."

Like mist in the wind, the two vanished—no sound, no trace, not even a lingering aura.

Al stood still for a moment, staring at the spot they’d just occupied.

He exhaled slowly, as if carrying the weight of the world in that single breath.

"Huaam... Mornings are way too much trouble for me."

He turned and walked toward the school building.

But just as he took a step—

GRAAARR—GRAAARR!!

Al’s phone exploded with its thunderous ringtone, like a fire alarm piercing the peaceful morning.

His hand trembled as he picked up the phone. The usually calm expression on his face turned pale.

"...Hello?"

He barely spoke when—

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN ’LOOKING AT LOVELY GIRLS’?! DO YOU WANT ME TO CUT YOUR HEAD OFF?! SHOULD I—"

Click.

The ever-calm Al flinched like a kid caught cheating on a test. He immediately hung up and turned off his phone.

Silence.

He froze, then rubbed his forehead and sighed heavily.

"Huff... she’s seriously... going to give me a heart attack."

His face returned to normal—mostly—but a small trace of trauma remained as he walked away toward the cafeteria.

---

Elsewhere, inside a hyper-modern office tower, floor-to-ceiling windows showcased a breathtaking view of the city. A tall tower loomed nearby, its silhouette sharp against the skyline.

A woman stood by the glass. Her hair flowed down her back like a battle banner, her posture regal—like a queen of the battlefield.

Her face was shadowed, her back to the camera. Only the silhouette of her slender figure in a violet dress could be seen. A dark magical energy pulsed faintly around her, causing even passing staff outside her door to feel nauseous.

Her hand clenched her now-silent phone.

"He. Hung. Up. On. Me?"

Her voice shook the ceiling lamp. She turned—revealing only a chilling smile.

"Just wait, Al. When I show up... I’ll make sure you won’t even look at another girl again."

---

Back at school, in the hallway leading to the cafeteria. Al walked with lazy but steady steps. His eyes looked half-asleep, as usual. His only target: a sweet snack and a comfy chair for a quick nap.

But fate had other plans. Ever since returning to the Virellano estate, petty yet annoying problems seemed to stack up. It was like coming back had raised his misfortune stat through the roof.

And now—three silhouettes stood at the end of the hallway, blocking his path. They wore full school uniforms, modified for swagger: loose ties, jackets draped over shoulders, and shiny limited-edition shoes.

The first—massive, nearly two meters tall. Thick with muscle and fat. His arms were crossed, his face blank. The team’s silent enforcer.

The second—tall and thin, glasses, with a sneering grin. His lips never stopped moving, and his eyes flicked around nervously. The schemer—not smart, but cowardly and sly.

The third—their leader. Rudi Norvalien, third-generation heir of the Norvalien family, one of the top ten richest in Indorosia. Handsome face, slicked-back hair, flawless skin—like a fashion ad. But his eyes were full of disgust as he looked at Al. He believed only the elite should mingle with the elite. To him, Al’s very presence was a stain on his ideal perfect world.

His hands were in his pockets, body slouched lazily—like Al wasn’t even worth his energy.

He spoke first.

"Well, well... I thought you only crawled out at night. Didn’t expect to see you this early."

The thin one chuckled.

"Maybe he’s hungry. Orphan kids drool over expensive food, after all. Hahaha."

The big one simply glared like a hungry tiger waiting for a command.

Al stopped. Gave them a blank stare. Said nothing.

"You think that cheap scholarship makes you equal to us?" Rudi’s voice sharpened. "You’re a stain. The only reason you’re here is because we’re too kind to kick you out."

Al simply shook his head.

"If you don’t like me, just stop bothering me. Go do something useful."

The three looked irritated.

Al turned, trying to walk past them.

"Hey! What did you just say?!"

The big guy lunged, trying to grab Al’s shoulder with hands like frying pans.

But—

Whoosh!

In a blink, Al vanished. A burst of acceleration. He was already two steps ahead. The big guy lost balance and slammed into the trash bin.

THUD!

"ARGHHHH!"

The others gasped.

"You bastard!"

Rudi stepped forward, fists clenched. But before he could swing—

"That’s enough."

A calm yet firm voice echoed down the hall.

A new student appeared. Idham Tamarvich.

Young, black slicked-back hair, perfect posture. His uniform was textbook-perfect. A gold-white school badge gleamed on his chest.

A descendant of the Tamarvich family—also one of the top ten in Indorosia, and a partner of the Alasia Indorosia Foundation.

He looked over the three troublemakers.

"Remember the rules. No violence on school grounds. Whatever your personal issues—handle it elsewhere."

The thin one tried to protest.

"But he—"

"No buts," Idham cut in coldly.

He stepped closer. His aura pressed into the hallway.

"If you have a problem with him, bring it up in the official forum. Or report to me. Don’t act like thugs."

The trio fell silent.

Rudi clicked his tongue.

"Don’t act all noble, Tamarvich. You don’t like him here either," he spat.

Idham said nothing. The tension rose further as other students began watching.

In the end, Rudi turned away, muttering curses as they walked off.

Ptui!

"Damn poor coward."

After they vanished, Idham turned to Al.

Their eyes met. No words exchanged.

Al gave a small nod.

"Thanks," he said calmly.

Then turned and walked away.

As his figure disappeared down the corridor, Idham’s jaw tightened.

"Tch... Cheap scholarship trash. Too bad I can’t touch him freely..."

---