The deafening explosion shook the masquerade hall to its very core. Flames illuminated the night sky outside the ballroom, their orange and red tongues licking at the castle walls. Smoke curled upward in ominous tendrils as the guests, frozen in shock, exchanged panicked glances.

The once-vibrant energy of the masquerade dissipated in an instant, replaced by a heavy, suffocating dread.

Alex’s sharp eyes darted toward the growing plume of smoke visible through the high arched windows, his face a mask of the graveness of the situation.

He, the rising star of humanity, was out of the academy—a place out of the academy’s jurisdiction, where there was no such rule that killing wasn’t allowed.

There was no way many out there would let this chance slide.

But for now, he stood back. It wasn’t his time to act.

Maurice Drakathor, the Emperor, was the first to break the silence. Rising to his full height, his commanding voice boomed through the hall, snapping the stunned crowd out of their stupor.

“Knights, secure the ballroom! Ensure the safety of the guests and prepare a detachment to investigate the blast site! Citizens, remain calm and stay within these walls!”

The imperial knights moved immediately, their armor clinking as they fanned out, but the guests were less disciplined.

“W-We must run!” Someone yelled from the crowd, but who? No one knew.

“I… I think he’s right,” another mutter of acknowledgment cut through the silence.

Before a moment could even pass, panic bubbled to the surface among the lower nobility and merchants gathered on the ground floor.

Almost all of them wanted to move out of this enclosed space, as they would die if the castle were to fall on them.

Whispers turned to shouts, and soon, chaos threatened to take hold. Several among the crowd—the ones who cared more about their lives than the emperor’s orders—made a break for the exits, desperate to flee.

From his vantage point on the first floor, Alex’s sharp gaze flickered between the scene unfolding below and the Emperor, a sharp light flashing past his eyes, but he still waited, his gaze turning to the higher nobility—they were stronger and calmer.

He saw visible irritation creep across their features as they watched the lower nobility descend into disarray. They couldn’t believe one blast was enough to turn the so-called pillars of the empire into a herd of sheep running away from a beast.

It was evident that Maurice’s authority alone wasn’t enough to immediately quell the disorder.

‘Now,’ Alex thought, recognizing the moment. It was the moment he was waiting for.

Without a word, he brought his fingers to his lips and let out a piercing whistle—sharp, deliberate, and imbued with an air of command. The sound cut through the pandemonium, drawing the attention of the higher nobility and the foreign dignitaries on the first floor—the ones who had been keeping an eye on how Alex would act.

But looking at him right now, confusion flashed across their faces as they glanced at one another, clearly puzzled.

‘Why was he whistling?’ —this was the only question in their heads.

Before they could fully grasp what Alex was planning, the grand doors of the ballroom creaked open, revealing a massive, golden-maned lion. Its crimson eyes gleamed with unrestrained bloodlust, and a low, menacing growl rumbled from its throat as it stepped into the room, blocking the main exit.

The lower nobles—be it the ones on the first floor or the ground floor—froze in their tracks, their faces pale with terror and shock.

Some stumbled back, bumping into others as they recoiled from the beast. Fear rippled through the crowd, silencing the chaos as effectively as if a bucket of cold water had been dumped on them.

The imperial knights, ever vigilant, however, reached for their weapons. Swords slid from scabbards with a collective hiss as they prepared to confront the lion.

‘The enemy is using beasts to attack!’ —was their collective conclusion. Anything that looked suspicious or harmful could be linked with the attack right now.

But before they could move…

“Hold your blades.” Alex’s voice rang out, firm and commanding. His sharp tone stopped the knights in their tracks, their hands hesitating on their hilts, their eyes turning to the emperor for orders.

But the Emperor, like all others, had his eyes turned to Alex, his mask concealing his identity, but few could still tell who he was.

Alex turned to Maurice, his tone respectful but urgent. “Your Majesty, the room is quieter now.”

That was all he said.

Maurice’s eyes bore into Alex, searching for something unspoken. He could tell that Alex had intentionally called him ‘You Majesty’ instead of ‘Uncle’.

‘He doesn’t desire fame?’ Wondered Maurice, but he still passed Alex a slow nod of understanding.

That exchange was noticed by the knights as well, making them stop in their tracks.

Nodding back, Alex leaped over the railing of the first floor with practiced ease, landing gracefully on the ground below.

He strode toward the lion, his steps deliberate and unhurried despite the palpable tension in the air. The lion’s growl deepened, its muscles coiling as if preparing to strike.

Gasps rippled through the crowd as it seemed the beast might pounce at him. But Alex, calm and composed, extended a hand and laid it gently on the lion’s mane.

In an instant, the lion’s ferocity melted away. Its growling ceased, and its bloodlust faded, replaced by an almost serene calm. Then, before the stunned eyes of the crowd, the lion turned around, moving away.

Of course, it was Lionara—someone nobody here knew to be Alex’s pet.

Whispers spread like wildfire among the lower nobility. Confusion, awe, and disbelief mingled in their expressions. The fact that they needed to run away was already buried deep by the shock and fear of the lion’s appearance.

The higher nobility and the foreign dignitaries who had witnessed Alex’s subtle interaction with Maurice and his actions since, however, had realization dawn on them. They exchanged knowing glances, some nodding in quiet approval.

“Brilliant,” one murmured under his breath. “He’s given the stage back to the Emperor without drawing undue attention to himself.”

It was clear to them why Alex hadn’t shown his face until now. He knew that if he did, then his image would undermine the Emperor’s.

Alex didn’t do it because he wanted to win the hearts of the higher nobilities. That was why he had waited until now to make a move.

But to the others, it seemed that he didn’t desire the fame that would be gained by standing above the Emperor—which eased the worry of some Emperor loyalists.

Maurice took a deep breath, his eyes lingering on Alex for a moment longer before he removed his mask, stepping forward to address the room. His voice, steady and authoritative, resonated with renewed strength.

“Ladies and gentlemen, order will be restored!” His voice made people turn to him, their expressions more controlled, maybe because this time they could see his face, and the air around him was calmer as well. “Stay within these walls, and my knights will ensure your safety. Do not give in to fear—we are Drakathorians, united in strength and resolve!”

Hearing the Emperor’s words, the crowd began to settle.

They had realized that moving out would be more disadvantageous as they would lose the protection of the knights and become prone to the enemy’s attacks, increasing their chances of dying.

Gradually, the fear and chaos ebbed, replaced by cautious obedience. Maurice’s words were met with nods, and the knights resumed their positions to maintain order, some of them moving toward the site of the explosion with cautious steps.

Alex, now standing near the entrance, was joined by Vanessa, Alenia, Mira, and the other student council members, who kept their eyes sharp, looking for any conspicuous movements.

Together, they formed a protective barrier, subtly discouraging anyone from attempting to leave, as all the council members were here to show Alex their support and not the Emperor—something that didn’t go unnoticed by everyone else—but there was nothing they could do against that.

Alex’s expressions remained covered with the mask, making it impossible for anyone to tell what he was thinking, but many among the higher-ups, just like Alex, Vanessa, Alenia, and the council members, knew that the ones behind that explosion were probably after Alex.

Vanessa, standing with her mask still on, her cold eyes observing everything, frowned as she noticed a moving shadow merging into Alex’s., but as if noticing her sharp gaze, the shadow trembled as if bowing to her. She instantly recognized who it was, and her frown relaxed, her eyes turning back to observe the parameter.

A flash passed Alex’s eyes as he noticed it as well.

“How was it?” He asked quietly, his voice barely above a whisper, only audible to the one within his shadow—James.

“As you have said, Master,” came the reply from James, as the shadow shifted a bit, making Alex nod.

He looked at the people calming down, shaking his head. ‘It hasn’t even started yet.’

There had been no assassination attempts yet, which meant something was still remaining.

‘I guess it really was needed,’ he thought inwardly, but pausing his thoughts, something happened again…

BOOOOOOMMMMMMMM!!

An explosion as loud as before shook the whole castle again, farther this time, but the terror in the crowd was no less than before.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep