Chapter 14

  << “Ladies and gentlemen, please rise and welcome Knight Division’s 76th scholarship class… Casca Saint-Maximin!” >>

  !?

  A shrimp tail fell from the prince’s mouth.

  On the stage, Casca appeared from behind the podium in a refined black outfit, stunning the guests into open-mouthed silence.

  From his seat in the dim crowd, Casca couldn’t see Dan, but he saw her clearly.

  Her entrance sent shockwaves through the room, a true surprise. It was public knowledge that Casca was reserved, almost reclusive. She hadn’t appeared in the media for over a decade, and few knew her whereabouts post-war.

  So, her presence at the dean’s retirement banquet was extraordinary—a rare privilege in this near-secret society, one many knight students dreamed of experiencing. For some, it was the ultimate aspiration.

  “Good heavens…”

  Seniors Jenny and Helena covered their mouths.

  Aaron and Chiesa were dumbfounded. Professor Foden smirked faintly. And Rafinya… her eyes widened, hands gripping the tablecloth.

  The entire gathering stood, applauding Casca. She was, without question, the most influential figure in the room. Dan joined in, clapping lightly, smiling softly at his wife.

  Casca bowed, scanning the distinguished guests. She raised a hand to signal enough applause, then began.

  “Thank you. Thank you for such a warm welcome. It’s rare for me to attend events like this. It’s an honor, everyone.”

  Laughter from the crowd.

  “The dean has been a great mentor to me since my trainee days…”

  Casca launched into her reminiscence of the guest of honor.

  “God… the real Casca,” senior Jenny Vardy whispered, hands clasped, trembling.

  “This is unreal… In all my years at the academy, this is a first,” Helena said, turning to Dan.

  “Do you and Rafinya realize how lucky you are?”

  “Yeah,” Dan nodded along, eyes on the stage.

  “…And for the reasons I’ve mentioned, the five-bar knight insignia on my shoulder wouldn’t be complete without the Knight Division’s guidance. As a representative of the 76th class, I congratulate the dean for being a cornerstone in maintaining peace on our land. Thank you!”

  Casca raised her champagne flute. Everyone followed, letting out the Luminus military cheer.

  “Hoo! Rah!”

  A thunderous wave of applause followed. Casca stepped down to shake hands with the dean and Artheris and Luminus elites.

  The hall’s lights brightened, returning to normal, but now all attention—young and old, noble and student—fixated on Casca Saint-Maximin.

  Jenny and Helena stood in unison, as did Aaron and Chiesa. Even Rafinya, usually composed, joined the crowd surging toward Casca.

  In moments, Dan was left alone with his steak and a few elderly guests too frail to move.

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  “…Hmph.”

  He stabbed his steak, eating on.

  Opening his notebook, he wrote, “Note: Storytelling… important.”

  Closing it, he glanced left, right.

  Better blend in, he thought, or they’ll call me rude.

  “Hello, sir. Hello. Oh, I’m doing fine, just keeping on. Yes, congratulations, sir.”

  Casca worked the room, shaking hands with elites and influentials. Her tall frame towered over the older men. She greeted countless acquaintances until she reached—

  “Foden!”

  “Casca!”

  The knight department head and the legendary hero—former classmates and roommates—embraced warmly.

  “I missed you so much.”

  “Same here… Ten years without contact. Looks like you’re doing well, department head.”

  “And you? No updates in ten years. Where’ve you been?”

  “Wandering the martial world a bit.”

  “After that fight with the old man, you vanished. I thought you’d been taken out. When I got your letter saying you’d come, I thought ghosts had learned to write.”

  “Still as sharp as ever, Foden. I love it.”

  “So much to catch up on… Shame we can never sync our schedules.”

  “Same. But I can’t stay long. Gotta move on after the dean’s party.”

  “No worries, just showing up is huge, Casca.”

  “Of course. Free food, right?”

  Foden and Casca chatted intimately, holding hands and arms, their closeness evident.

  “Since you’re here, let me introduce you.”

  Foden gestured to her knight scholarship students.

  “These are my current scholarship knights.”

  “Wow, hi, everyone!”

  “Hello, Lady Casca!”

  The students stood straight, saluting, their eyes gleaming with admiration, as if beholding their hero.

  Rafinya was especially eager.

  “Lady Maximin, it’s an honor to meet you!”

  These young knights idolized Casca, dreaming of becoming like her. Chiesa held his excitement best, but everyone was thrilled.

  “I was in your shoes once. Foden’s my best friend, so I know she’s tough. Keep at it, all of… you.”

  Her eyes scanned the line, landing on… her husband, Dan Burn, munching peanuts.

  Ugh.

  Dan met her gaze. She stared back, standing at the line’s end, Casca frozen as if he were an alien no one could explain.

  “Foden…”

  “Hm?”

  “I’m dying to hear those stories you mentioned.”

  “Sure. First, meet Chiesa, third year.”

  “Lady Casca.” Chiesa bowed politely.

  “This is Helena, third year. Aaron, second year. Jenny, second year. Rafinya, first year… and—”

  Gesturing to the last in line.

  “Dan… first year.”

  Shock plastered Casca’s face. She stared at Fury, eyes wide as an owl’s, barely keeping composure.

  “Hello, Lady Casca.”

  Dan bowed, looking up.

  “An honor, ma’am ??.”

  “…Thanks.”

  Casca shook hands down the line, leaning in for an Italian-style cheek greeting with each student until she reached Dan.

  (( What the hell is this? ))

  “We shook Lady Casca’s hand! Oh God, is this real?!” Aaron exclaimed.

  “Calm down, Aaron,” Jenny snapped.

  “Ask Casca anything you want. This chance doesn’t come often,” Foden said.

  Instantly—

  Whoosh.

  Rafinya and Jenny raised their hands. Casca was bombarded with questions, her eyes flicking to Dan intermittently. She maintained her noble paladin persona, but her husband’s presence was impossible to ignore.

  “Lady Casca! I’ve read so much about you. Are the demons as terrifying as the books say?!”

  “Lady Casca, how did you rise to a five-bar knight?!”

  And more “Lady Casca” questions from the five eager students.

  Dan slipped away to the dessert table, grabbing sweets and eating contentedly.

  Casca glanced at him, then back to the young crowd, answering for a while before glancing at him again… until Rafinya noticed.

  Dan leaned against a Roman pillar, holding a box of mixed nuts, munching happily, then wandered out of the hall.

  Casca raised a hand, calling a timeout.

  “I need a quick bathroom break.”

  She adjusted her outfit and slipped outside, nodding to passersby.

  Outside, behind the building, a balcony overlooked the river below.

  Dan set down his nut box, scanning left and right, certain the spot was private, with only sea breeze and waves as background noise.

  Moments later, Casca Saint-Maximin stormed in, face aghast.

  “What are you doing here?!”

  “I should ask you that. Weren’t you off to fetch your stuff?”

  “I had to hit this event first, then catch the 10 PM train!”

  “Oh…”

  Suddenly, Fury’s wife yanked his shoulder, pulling him close.

  “Knight scholarship student?! What’s that supposed to mean?!”

  Shakes him.

  “Explain! Now!!”

  Of course, Casca hadn’t known. He hadn’t told her. Nora barely spoke to her, Raven was clueless, and Freya… well, let’s leave it at that.

  “You, a knight scholar?! Looking like a breeze could knock you over?! Are you joking?!”

  “Thanks for the compliment.”

  “Fury!”

  “I’ve got debts. Gotta save where I can.”

  “There are tons of scholarships, and you pick knight?!”

  “What’s wrong with doing what I’m best at?”

  “Not in that scrawny body!”

  “None of this would’ve happened without your little game!”

  As Casca argued with her fiancé—

  Inside the hall, Rafinya scanned outside, toward where Casca had rushed off, saying, “I’ll be back, give me a moment.”

  It had been a while, and Casca hadn’t returned. Glancing at the scattered seniors…

  She noticed Dan was gone too.

  ?

  Suspicion flashed across her face. Rafinya quietly slipped away from the crowd.

  In the empty corridor, her eyes darted left and right, searching for her idol, the hero.

  A waiter carrying food passed, stepping aside. Rafinya walked far enough for the party’s chatter to fade, leaving only the sound of wind and waves.

  She roamed the lavish mansion, passing dozens of artworks, until she saw… a distant scene on the balcony.

  Dan and Casca, alone, talking casually.

  !