Bern, who considered himself above petty squabbles, originally intended to let Rivata muddle through the situation. But Linda calling him a wild dog?

This insult was too much for his pride to bear.

"Linda! How did I offend you for you to insult me!?" he exclaimed.

Linda, defiant and proud, retorted, "Angry now? Then what about Nan and her Master? They had to endure your insults as soon as they arrived!"

Bern's face turned from pale to red with anger. He hadn't expected Linda to turn the tables like this.

But he wasn't someone to admit defeat so easily.

"I said Rivata was just joking, and she didn’t speak as harshly as you!"

Nancy, stopping the about-to-explode Linda, pointed at Bern and turned to the audience, "Can anyone tell me his name?"

Zach knew Bern, but he scoffed and refused to introduce him.

His scoff made others hesitant to speak.

It made sense.

After all, Zach was a revered figure in the piano world.

Angering him could mean the end of one's career.

For a moment, nobody answered Nancy, effectively implying no one recognized Bern.

Nancy laughed softly, still pointing at Bern, "Oh, so nobody knows this man? Then on what grounds does he look down on my Master?"

Bern's face turned ashen. Nobody would want to be pointed at by a younger person, right?

His face darkened with rage, "Nancy! You said before that pointing at someone is rude. Are you being polite now?"

"Oh?"

Nancy turned to him with a smile, "well, don't be angry, I'm just joking with you."

She said this but kept pointing at Bern.

Bern, boiling with anger, raised his hand to slap Nancy's hand away. Just as he was about to hit her, Nancy swiftly withdrew her hand, leaving him striking the air.

Bern trembled with fury, "Nancy!"

"Getting angry now?"

Nancy, hands behind her back and chin up, commanded the scene, "You can’t take a joke, but you think it’s fine for your disciple to joke, and for me and my Master to bear it?"

The onlookers began whispering and laughing among themselves.

"Yeah, Nancy is right. How can they insult people and then claim it's a joke? He can't even take it himself."

"Exactly, they say whatever they like. Who do they think they are?"

Rivata, noticing the amused looks from the crowd, especially the cold, intimidating stare from Zach, tugged at Bern's sleeve nervously, "Teacher…"

Bern huffed angrily, grabbing her hand, "Rivata, let's go!"

"Go where?"

Zach, who had been silent until then, spoke coldly, "Wasn’t there a bet? Now that the competition is over, it’s time to honor it, right? Bern, as a renowned pianist, don’t you even have that much grace?"