Chapter 11

  Hakuna Matata

  Behind the Roman pillar outside Sheffield Library...

  “Miss Freya?”

  Zeedee glanced nervously from side to side.

  “Hey... you mentioned something about Anfield before, right? That it was haunted? It is haunted, isn’t it?”

  Nora gave her a puzzled look, unsure why she was bringing this up. Still, she nodded.

  “Why?”

  “...Something unexplainable happened to me today.”

  “What do you mean by unexplainable?”

  “...”

  Zeedee tried to speak, but her memory stuttered, fragmented. She strained to pull it back.

  “I think... I think I saw a ghost in our house!”

  “A ghost?”

  “I’m not joking!”

  “I didn’t think you were, Miss Freya.”

  “It climbed the wall—got onto the bed—and tried to assault me! I swear I felt its weight when it climbed onto the mattress!”

  She looked genuinely shaken.

  “It was breathing right into my face! I couldn’t move! And I was the only one who saw it!”

  “Are you sure it wasn’t a person?”

  “Definitely not. If it was, His Highness would’ve noticed. And the way it moved… it...”

  Just remembering gave her chills. Freya hugged her own shoulders.

  “If I tell the Prince, he won’t believe me.”

  She clutched her head—then suddenly grabbed Nora’s shoulders.

  “You have to tell him!”

  “Wait... Why me? Why would I—?”

  “He listens to you more than he does to me! Come up with some reason—anything!”

  “Figures... I knew this would turn into some nonsense—again.”

  “Your Highness?!”

  Dan peeked out from behind the pillar behind Nora.

  “We’re not moving out. I don’t care who tries to tell me otherwise.”

  “B-but Your Highness—!”

  “No buts.”

  Dan made his stance clear.

  “If the ghost was that dangerous, it would've killed us both already. Get a grip, Freya.”

  “You didn’t see me thrashing and squirming last night?!”

  “All I saw was you starfished on the bed with your leg thrown over my face. Be glad I didn’t kick you off.”

  He shook his head.

  “What a waste of time. Nora, you don’t have to listen to Freya. She’s full of nonsense.”

  “Uh…”

  “Let’s go back. We’ve got assignments to finish.”

  “Yes, Mr. Fury.”

  “Actually… I do have something else to ask you, Nora.”

  Dan shot her a glance.

  “It’s not ghost-related, I promise.”

  “Then I’ll go grab a snack… Nora, if she starts spouting nonsense again, just walk away, okay?”

  “Your Highness! I’m not full of nonsense!!!”

  You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

  Dan walked off—leaving the two of them alone, for real this time.

  “What is it, Miss Freya?”

  “I do have something.”

  But her tone had completely shifted.

  Hands on her hips, head tilted.

  “I asked around about the theater. What it actually is.”

  “!”

  “But... my girl friends told me only dating couples go there together, just the two of them. So what the hell does that mean, Princess? You and His Highness went alone, didn’t you?!”

  A completely different energy from earlier.

  “You’ve got it all wrong, Miss Freya.”

  The princess tried to explain.

  “He said he wanted to see what it was, so I just showed him, that’s all.”

  “Really? No hidden intentions at all?”

  “None.”

  Nora subtly leaned back as Zeedee leaned in.

  “I know how humans are... all smiles up front, but scheming behind your back. Just within Diablo, we’ve had to squash more flies buzzing around the Prince than I can count. Don’t make more work for me.”

  “I wouldn’t think that way… really.”

  “The Prince is mine. Got it?”

  Nora nodded.

  “Don’t let there be a next time.”

  “And if there is?”

  “Then don’t let there be a third time.”

  “And if there is a third—”

  “If you think you can dive into the pit and not get shredded by sharks, be my guest. I don’t care what kind of princess you are.”

  Even if there were only two sharks down there—one’s a Megalodon, the other’s a Leviathan. No thanks.

  “Miss Freya… I was kidding.”

  “Hmph.”

  “ALL FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS!!!”

  A voice cut through the air, interrupting their exchange.

  Zeedee and Nora turned toward it—

  It was a male upperclassman announcing something from the Knight Division.

  Senior Aaron Rogers.

  “ALL FIRST-YEARS, LISTEN UP!!!”

  His booming voice drew every student’s attention, no matter what they were doing.

  “The dueling schedule for Knight Studies has been posted!”

  And there it was—a large canvas stretched across the central atrium, inked with matchups.

  Dan, just on his way to grab a snack, spotted the announcement and paused.

  Then his eyes widened as he read the name on the Week 1 match list.

  BURN vs. GRONK

  Dan’s opponent for the first point-earning week... was Gronk.

  Gronk—student from Class C. A hulking male with monstrous strength, able to snap training dummies in half barehanded. He was as big as Instructor Soros and obsessed with combat. He was set on joining the knight division.

  Gronk had participated in the scholarship trials—and he was this close to getting the knight scholarship…

  If not for Fury stepping in and knocking out Soros with a full-force punch, snatching the spotlight—and the scholarship—from him.

  In the gathering crowd of students…

  Gronk was there.

  He turned, glaring at Dan with the wrath of someone far older. His face was seething with long-held rage.

  Whispers spread like wildfire through the academy. Everyone already knew how deep Gronk’s grudge against Dan ran after losing the scholarship.

  (Whispers and murmurs everywhere)

  Dan was now at the center of attention.

  He looked around uncomfortably. Everyone would be talking about this—this match—at Madison Square Garden.

  It was going to be the rematch everyone watched.

  Thud, thud, thud…

  Gronk’s massive frame stopped in front of Dan, looming.

  “Word is, you lost to Rafinya in the ring. Got knocked out like a mutt.”

  Dan’s eyes widened.

  He knew?

  That meant… someone leaked what happened at training.

  (Even louder whispers now)

  At that moment, Nora and Zeedee reached the board from afar. But the sea of students was dense—getting through wasn’t easy.

  “That punch on Soros must’ve been a fluke, huh? I heard you can’t fight worth a damn.”

  Thud!

  Gronk stepped in, slamming his chest into Dan.

  Nora scanned the crowd—

  There was Rafinya, arms crossed, her eye partly hidden by her hair. She observed in silence, face dead serious. Nearby, Senior Aaron Rogers and Jenny Vardy watched from a distance.

  Up above on the academy building, watching from a special class…

  Senior Chiesa stared down as well.

  Nora pieced it all together.

  Was this... a setup?

  How could it be this coincidental, out of over a hundred students?

  Still, nothing could be proven. The Knight Division ran their own internal systems outsiders knew nothing about.

  Eventually, everyone would duel each other—but this? First round?

  Tough break.

  Dan’s face remained expressionless, unshaken by Gronk’s killing aura.

  “I can’t wait for Friday… I’m gonna crush your guts into the mat, you little shit.”

  Thump!

  Gronk shoulder-checked Dan as he passed, nearly knocking him over, the crowd parting to let him through.

  Dan breathed deeply… trying to stay calm, not take the bait.

  He scanned his surroundings—

  Spotted Rafinya, still standing near the announcement. She flipped her hair and walked off.

  Nora and Zeedee made their way to him.

  “Mr. Fury…”

  “Going up against a monster in Week 1. Great.”

  Nora checked her name on the list.

  She was paired with a male Mathema student. She’d seen him around—and by the look on his face, he already wanted to forfeit after seeing her name.

  As for Zeedee—she had officially withdrawn. No duels for her.

  “Hmph.”

  Dan rolled up his sleeve to check the time.

  “Looks like it’s almost time to train.”

  No wonder Rafinya left—she was probably heading there already.

  “I’ve got to go.”

  He turned to them.

  “Zeedee, go on home.”

  “Okie~”

  “Mr. Fury.”

  Nora tugged his sleeve.

  “Can I talk to you over there for a bit?”

  They stepped away from the crowd, behind the tall hedges of Eden Garden.

  “Mr. Fury… I think the Knight Division rigged your matchup.”

  “Why do you think that?”

  “You could say it’s coincidence… but out of hundreds of students? It’s too clean.”

  “There’s merit to what you’re saying…”

  “This is a Knight Division setup, I’m sure of it. They’re forcing you to reveal your power.”

  “I could always just throw the match, you know.”

  “Unless Gronk won’t let you lose easily.”

  “Ah… he does hate me. And if I get badly injured and can’t fight next week, I’ll be automatically disqualified.”

  “They’re trying to force a point deduction. I’m sure of it.”

  Nora spread her hands.

  “If I were them, I’d send Gronk to take you out for 3–4 weeks. Then when you come back, I’d send Rafinya in next. That’s five more weeks out. That’s nine weeks of lost points.”

  “And those could be the weeks I’m supposed to be farming easy wins…”

  “Which means…”

  “They’re trying to force me to go all-out.”

  Dan smirked.

  “Hoho~ Luminus really knows how to play.”

  “You’re not worried at all, are you?”

  “I told you—I’ve got a plan.”

  Nora nodded slowly. She didn’t know what he would do, but if he said he’d show her something… she’d watch and learn.

  “Mr. Fury, I’m going to train on my own at the sparring grounds today. If that’s okay…”

  “Oh, nice. Then let’s go.”

  Nora nodded, letting Dan lead the way.