C3 The Stupefied Rhys

"Arnold! What are you doing? Are you practicing speed? Why aren't you following the training plan I laid out for you?"

Rhys surveyed the school team members with a surge of frustration. For some reason, from the onset of today's training, not a single person had adhered to the regimen he had meticulously crafted. Instead, each was doing their own thing, with even the goalkeeper working on steals.

Unbeknownst to him, Lucian had reassigned positions based on the players' natural talents. Abram, who was initially the goalkeeper, had been repositioned by Lucian as a side mid-fielder and tasked with assisting plays.

In effect, Lucian's overhaul had transformed the team beyond recognition, which infuriated Rhys. He couldn't fathom why the students were acting so irrationally. After all, he had taken the job as a physical education teacher in this modest town specifically for this competition.

Back in the city, where he hailed from, Rhys's family struggled financially. He had pursued sports in college but found the job market challenging post-graduation. His saving grace was obtaining a coaching certificate from the Asian Football Confederation.

While that certificate might not carry much weight in the city, it made him a sought-after talent in a small county. He had also learned of the high school football competition, organized by the city to scout for promising players for the provincial team and to select a coach to serve as an assistant on the provincial team.

He had seized this opportunity, accepting a position as a sports teacher and becoming the coach of the school football team, in hopes of making a name for himself at the provincial level. Even if he didn't land the assistant coach position, the exposure could boost his profile and enhance his resume.

But now, the students were ignoring his directives. As a mere sports teacher without any significant authority, he felt powerless to influence the kids and was left to stew in his own vexation.

"I'm going to find out exactly what you all have been up to."

A week flew by, and today was the day Lucian would evaluate their training progress. Rhys hadn't been idle during this time; he had even approached the school authorities with his concerns.

However, the leadership, aware that the school team ranked at the bottom citywide, didn't place much stock in the competition. They were merely heeding the call to participate without any real ambition for accolades. Consequently, they offered Rhys nothing more than a few consoling words before moving on.

Rhys was not one to give up so easily. He was no fool. Upon discovering that the students had enlisted an outsider to assist with their training, he kept a covert watch on them, determined to identify the interloper who had disrupted his plans.

After classes, Rhys pretended to head home but merely took a brief stroll around the vicinity before stealthily re-entering the school through the back door. He made his way to the sports field via the academic building and observed the school team lined up before a middle-aged man.

From a distance, Rhys couldn't make out what the man was saying, so he just kept a vigilant watch. Soon, the students split into two groups and commenced a scrimmage.

Rhys's fury boiled over as he watched the man shouting instructions from the sidelines of the field.

"What's going on here! Who is he! Who let him in! This is a school!" Rhys's outburst brought the game to a halt. The moment he showed up, Lucian knew they were in for trouble.

"You must be Rhys, right? School's out now. What the students are doing isn't really your concern, is it?" Lucian stood his ground, knowing that showing any sign of weakness would spell disaster for the students.

"And who might you be? This is a school, and unauthorized personnel are not allowed on the premises at any time. Are you not aware of that?" Rhys retorted, his face etched with frost and a mocking sneer.

"Whether or not I can be here isn't for you to decide. That's the prerogative of the school's security and administration," Lucian replied calmly.

"Fine, I'll call the security guards now. You just wait to be thrown out," Rhys threatened, confident in his authority.

Despite being a sports teacher without significant clout, Rhys still commanded a degree of intimidation among the students. Consequently, when he appeared, Suren, Arnold, and the others felt a twinge of fear and kept silent.

Lucian merely smiled faintly at Rhys's move to summon the guards and remained silent. Shortly after, several security guards arrived at the court, following Rhys.

"That's the guy, a suspicious character who has sneaked into our school. Clearly, he's up to no good. Take him away immediately," Rhys commanded, pointing at Lucian with a bossy air, believing the security guards were his reinforcement.

"Hey, isn't that Lucian? What brings you to our school today to offer guidance? Should I let Principal Li know you're here?"

To Rhys' surprise, the demeanor of the security guards was not what he expected. Upon recognizing Lucian, the once confrontational guards quickly became subservient and greeted him warmly.

"There's no need for that. I'm just here to check on the kids. You all carry on with your work and don't mind me. Oh, and this new teacher, Mr. Rhys, seems to have gotten the wrong impression of me. Could you clear that up for him?"

After finishing his request, Lucian turned his attention away from Rhys and back to the students, reorganizing their teams and resuming the game. Rhys stood to the side, fuming with frustration.

The security guards approached Rhys, gently lifting him by his arms, and said politely, "Please come with us, Mr. Rhys."

"I won't stand for this! What are you security guards even here for? Why are you in cahoots with people from outside the school? I'm going to report this to the principal!"

Rhys struggled free from the guards and began to shout across the field in a near frenzy.

"What do you want with me?"

Just then, a voice cut through Rhys' rant. He spun around to find the principal standing behind him, his face marked with barely concealed fury.

"Principal, I want to report that these security guards are in league with an outsider, subjecting our school's staff to brutal physical attacks. I'm one of the victims."

Rhys was aware that the students would likely side with Lucian, so arguing on their behalf was futile. He decided to focus on his own experience, determined to highlight Lucian's status as an 'outsider' to secure his position, as it was an undeniable truth.

"An outsider? Where is this outsider? I haven't seen anyone."

The principal scanned the area, his voice growing deeper.

"Right over there! Look!"

Rhys pointed, and there was Lucian, strolling leisurely along the edge of the field with his hands clasped behind him, watching the students' performance.

"I understand, Mr. Rhys. You're new here and not yet familiar with our county's context. Mr. Lucian can't be considered an outsider. For over a decade, he has made significant contributions to our school's education. Not to mention, he has donated all the equipment for the school football team, including the socks you recently received."

Upon hearing the principal's words, Rhys's mind buzzed, and he was completely flabbergasted.

"Our county is quite small, with a modest population, which is why so many have benefited from Mr. Henson's generosity. To give you an idea, within our school's young teaching staff, any local has likely been a guest at Mr. Henson's table. Even I, back when I was a teacher without a permanent position, secured my official appointment with Mr. Henson's assistance."