Chapter 14
The sound of practice swords clashing echoed through the training hall.
“Great job! Better than I expected! You’ve really improved, Dan!”
“Thanks, senior Aaron.”
Dan stood in a defensive stance, swinging his sword to flick sweat from his brow, taking a deep breath.
“I’ve seen your progress since Week 1. I think you can take on the mid-tier guys now.”
“Thank you.”
Dan finished his spar, sheathing his sword…
Then he noticed Rafinya, fresh from her boxing ring session, unwrapping the white tape from her hands while her eyes locked onto him suspiciously.
Ugh…
He stuffed his gear into his bag, ready to bolt, but…
“Where’re you rushing off to, huh?”
“?”
Dan was stopped by senior Aaron.
“Professor Foden’s taking us to a special banquet tonight.”
“A special banquet?”
“For our Knight Division. It’s the retirement party for the head of the department.”
And Professor Foden was bringing the scholarship students to mingle with Luminus’s nobles and generals—a networking opportunity.
For knight scholarship students, skipping was unthinkable.
“Oh? Really?”
His mouth said that, but Dan’s mind was on the waterproofing work he needed to finish at the cabin today.
“Can I not go?”
“Skipping would be rude. These are the people funding us.”
“Got it, senior…”
No choice then.
The Knight Division was loaded, with connections galore. Every department was rich—between the Five Kingdoms’ pooled funding and alumni donations.
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
The academy’s total value might hit a billion credits, roughly six times Prince Fury’s debt.
“How much time do we have?”
“Wait for Professor Foden, then we’ll head out.”
“Kinda sudden…”
“Got plans?”
“…I need to clean up some stuff at my place.”
“Oh… the dorms?”
“…Yeah.”
“Liar.”
!
Rafinya’s voice cut in from the ring.
“You don’t live in the dorms. Why lie to us?”
This girl?!
“What? You don’t live in the dorms, Dan?”
“I’m at an off-campus place.”
“Oh, off-campus? That’s gotta be pricey.”
“Not if someone’s paying your tuition.”
Rafinya threw another jab, her eyes fixed on Dan intensely… as if she could see through his soul, peeling away his facade bit by bit…
As if she sensed something off and knew Dan was hiding something.
“I’ll be back. Just need to drop off my stuff. Won’t take long, promise.”
Dan bowed and sprinted off…
The knight scholarship students exchanged confused looks, but only Rafinya watched his path, her eyes like a hawk tracking prey.
Women’s Dormitory, Top Floor, Royal Quarters.
Nora was working on her magic studies by the window when a pebble clinked against the glass.
She leaned out and saw Dan below, waving frantically.
Without hesitation, she dropped her work and raced downstairs.
“Mr.Fury?”
“I need a favor.”
“What is it?”
Dan handed her his school bag.
“The knights have a special banquet tonight, and I can’t get out of it… Can you take my stuff back to the cabin? And tell Freya the roof waterproofing’s postponed.”
“Sure, it’s just this.”
“Thanks a ton!”
Dan grabbed her hand, shaking it enthusiastically.
“By the way, I wanted to tell you something, Mr.Fury.”
“Is it urgent?”
“Won’t take long.”
“What’s up?”
“When I saw Freya between classes, she seemed off. I greeted her, but she didn’t respond—just gave me this intense stare. Is something up?”
Huh?
“Probably just messing around AGAIN. Don’t worry, she’ll get over it.”
“Okay.”
“Thanks for keeping an eye out, Nora.”
Having secured her help, Dan waved and ran off.
Leaving the women’s dorm, he reached the academy’s central hall… As he passed a stone pillar, he didn’t just pass the pillar—he passed Rafinya.
“You didn’t drop off your stuff—you gave it to Nora to handle? Using the princess as your errand girl?”
“!!!”
Dan’s eyes widened, turning to Rafinya in utter shock, clueless how or when she’d followed him.
“Rafinya?!”
“It’s clear now… Crystal clear…”
Rafinya stepped out from her pose, and Dan backed away.
“Who are you, really? Secret royalty? Demon heir? Or what?”
“!!!”
“Or… a Snowhaven spy?”
If he didn’t have “that kind” of relationship with Princess Nora, then her fierce protection suggested another possibility—they were “on the same side,” like Dan being a spy…
“If I were a spy, wouldn’t I stay far from the princess?”
“…True, but that doesn’t change what I just saw.”
Rafinya cornered Dan against the hall’s edge, one hand braced behind him to block escape… Her face leaned close, her breath and perfume brushing against him.
“I know you did something to Gronk, and I’m sure Nora’s involved somehow… Snowhaven’s brutal, I know their kind.”
“Don’t talk about my friend like that.”
“I hate secrecy from the bottom of my heart, and you should know that.”
“…”
Rafinya leaned closer.
“You might’ve slipped through this week… but you won’t be so lucky next time.”
Damn it, Dan thought.
She’s tougher to handle than I expected…
He could fool everyone else, but not Rafinya.
Luckily, she had no proof, so all she could do was talk.
And she was right. If he used the same trick next time, he’d be done for. Luck wouldn’t cut it anymore.
Next round, he’d have to fight clean.
“Get moving.”
Rafinya yanked his shoulder, shoving him back toward the gym.
“And you?”
“I’m watching you from now on.”
“What?! Are you crazy?!”
“Move!”
“…Ugh…”
What could he do? If he pushed back, he’d wake up in a hospital bed, and that’d be worse.
