Royal Knights Academy – The Board of Directors Room

Director Mayarre sat silently at the head of the long mahogany table, a table that was built to seat a dozen directors, yet only two occupied it this morning before her.

To her right, near the entrance, as though he couldn’t bother to take more steps for another chair, sat the Director of Finances, Verran. True as always, he wore an immaculate suit better suited for a royal feast than a meeting. A sheet of parchment was held firmly in his gloved hands as his eyes scanned the contents for what felt like the tenth time.

Across from him lounged Director of Arcane Studies, Aella.

Ordinarily, she would stay in her office by the western tower, overlooking the arena. Today, however, the matter at hand concerned her department directly, thus her reluctant attendance. She still wore her favorite dark purple robe, her light brown hair still as messy as ever. One leg was propped onto her chair as she leaned against it, idly chewing on a piece of candy.

“Are we done yet?” she muttered around it. “If you’re going to reread that for another hour, I might as well head back and nap.”

“Just… just give me a moment!” Verran snapped, not looking up.

“Ughh…” Aella groaned and leaned back, staring at the ceiling as though it might offer more entertainment than the meeting.

At last, Verran lowered the parchment and turned toward Mayarre, forcing a brittle smile. “Director Mayarre… please tell me this is some kind of mistake.”

“It is not,” Mayarre replied. “Aella and I have already signed the document. We require only your signature to finalize the decision.”

The parchment struck the table with a sharp crack as Verran slammed it down.

“There’s no chance I’m signing this!” Verran barked. “Do you have any idea what you’re asking? The cost alone is enough to take away half of this year’s profits!”

“That falls under your jurisdiction, does it not?” Mayarre said calmly.

“That’s not the point!” he shot back. “There’s no way we’re the ones taking the full bill for the repairs! Do you know what it costs to restore an enhanced wall? And this time we’re not even restoring it, we’re rebuilding it from scratch!”

Mayarre folded her hands atop the table. “Then what alternative do you propose, Director Verran?”

“Do I really need to explain it?” He exhaled sharply, jabbing a finger toward the parchment. “This disaster was caused by that common-born student, was it not? Then why not let him pay for it?”

“Are you seriously suggesting Ricent could pay for those damages?” Aella asked, tilting her head, candy still in her mouth.

Verran’s gaze snapped toward her. “Why are you defending that boy?!” He paused for a moment, realization dawning in. “Oh, right…”

Aella’s lips curled into a smirk. “He’s about to become my finest prodigy. I can’t very well have him shackled with debt before he’s even begun, can I?”

Verran clicked his tongue in irritation. “Listen, Aella. If you keep giving preferential treatment to others just because they’re good at magic, we’ll end up with another attack on the castle!”

“That kid was unstable from the start,” Aella replied flatly. “I never really liked how he looked at others. But this new one is different!” Her eyes gleamed with interest as she began to mumble. “A single spell that shattered a reinforced wall in their first month of learning magic… Do you understand what that means?”

“May I remind you that the kid’s common-born?” Verran said sharply.

“And may I remind you of the same?” Aella shot back. “You truly believe he could afford to replace an enhanced defensive wall?”

The tension in the room continued to rise.

“Enough. Both of you.”

Mayarre finally spoke, her voice cold and low, yet echoed cleanly through the room.

Silence followed soon after.

Slowly, Verran and Aella eased back into their chairs.

“Verran,” Mayarre began, clasping her hands together atop the table, “the cost of the damages is not as severe as you imagine. Several noble houses have already expressed interest in hiring that student. We have received advance contributions in exchange for recommending their names to him. Their contributions should help cover most of the damages.”

“Wait, seriously? But aren’t all royal mages supposed to go to the Royal Knights? Won’t bringing him to other houses break that agreement?”

Mayarre nodded. “The offers came primarily from newly established houses, or from those desperate to secure an advantage. I never said we would let him join their houses, just recommend them.”

“I… see.” He glanced back down at the parchment and released a weary sigh. “Seriously, why can’t you lead with that from the start?” 

He began signing his name on the parchment.

With that matter settled, Mayarre turned her gaze toward the remaining director. “Now, Aella.”

“Yeah?”

“Do remember that the student is still a common-born. Showering him with affection, especially in front of others, may cause unnecessary complications.”

“Affection? What kind of creep do you think I am?” Aella scoffed, kicking her legs up onto the table. “All I want is to give him extra lessons personally. We can’t let a gift like that rot away. I might toss him a piece of candy now and then, but that’s it.”

Mayarre studied her for a long moment, then gave a single, satisfied nod. “Very well.”

Verran rose reluctantly with the signed document in hand, presenting it toward Mayarre. With all three names inked upon the parchment, the matter was officially concluded. Mayarre drew it toward herself.

Verran was already halfway to the door, waving a hand dismissively. “If you need anything, I’ll be in my office. Need a nap.”

Aella stretched as she stood. “Then I’ll return to the tower.”

For all their frequent clashes, they were surprisingly aligned when it came to leaving meetings. However, Mayarre cleared her throat, stopping the two in their tracks.

“Do not leave just yet,” she said. “Have you both forgotten that the Third Prince is visiting today?”

“The Third Prince?” Verran’s brow lifted, his mouth twisting in clear dissatisfaction. “Is he here to toy with us again?”

Mayarre shook her head. “No. He is merely coming to escort Carine for a prior engagement.”

Aella frowned. “And why does that concern us?”

Mayarre resisted the urge to sigh.

“We cannot allow the Third Prince to arrive without a proper reception,” she said firmly. “It is only the first month of the new semester, and we have already failed twice. A third oversight would make us a laughingstock.”

The two directors exchanged puzzled glances.

“Failed twice?” Verran asked slowly. “What do you mean?”

Mayarre was reminded that the two directors before her lived rather isolated lives.

“Her Highness Munith, fiancée to the First Prince, visited the academy twice within the past few weeks. Both of which, we failed to receive her properly.”

Verran blinked.

Then he lunged forward, both hands slamming onto the table. “What?! When?!”

“I believe I just said within the past few weeks,” Mayarre said calmly.

“T-Then why wasn’t she properly received?” Verran demanded. “Why didn’t the staff welcome her?”

“She arrived without any prior notice. By the time the staff were informed and prepared a reception, she and her carriage had already departed.”

Verran’s expression tightened. “Departed? Just like that?”

“Yes, both times.”

“Well, that’s odd…” Aella leaned on a wall, eyes narrowed. “She’s not just here to sightsee, isn’t she?”

“Regarding her motives,” Mayarre continued. “Though we did not question Her Highness directly, rumors have spread among the students. On both occasions, she came for a single student.”

“A student?” Verran echoed.

“She seemed to have come to look for him, and after meeting him, she would escort him to her carriage and depart.”

A tense silence settled over the room.

Thoughts whirled in the air.

“This… isn’t what I’m thinking it is, right?” Aella asked cautiously.

Verran, less restrained, leaned forward. “So you’re saying our academy is the grounds of a royal affair?”

“Verran!” Aella snapped.

“Watch your tongue,” Mayarre said coldly. “Speculation of that nature can cost more than repairing walls.”

Verran exhaled through his nose. “Fine. Sorry for saying the obvious. Then… which noble kid is bold… or foolish… enough to be summoned like that?”

Mayarre hesitated briefly.

“It wasn’t a noble.”

Aella stopped chewing. Verran became completely still.

“It was Feyt,” she said at last. “A common-born student.”

The room fell completely silent.

Verran was the first to break the silence with another weary sigh.

“First, there’s Carine and the Third Prince… Now, a commoner with the First Prince’s fiancée?” He dragged a hand down his face. “Are we supposed to pretend that this is all a coincidence?”

Aella folded her arms slowly. “You’re forgetting something, Verran.”

Verran looked at her.

“Carine, the Sareid heir, is already attracted to that same commoner boy, Feyt.”

Verran scoffed. “So, even you have heard the rumors.”

“Of course, there’s a student named Mirabelle who wouldn’t shut up about it.” Aella turned to Mayarre. “May, if this sort of thing becomes public… the academy’s going to be in a lot of heat.”

Mayarre nodded. 

It was, undeniably, a problem.

A duke’s heir entangled with a common-born was troublesome enough. Add to that the First Prince’s fiancée seeking the same boy, in public no less, and the Third Prince was often seen circling the Sareid heir…

It didn’t matter if there truly was nothing in between them. People were still going to talk. From students, to parents, to the whole of Setus. It was the outline of a nationwide conflict.

Whatever happens, the academy mustn’t be caught in its crossfire.

Mayarre’s fingers laced together atop the table.

A duke’s heir should not be seen hovering around a commoner. Not so openly, nor so intimately. House Sareid was one of the pillars of the academy, troubled past as it may be. Appearances mattered.

But, if the both of them were ever seen together with the royal families more… Bigger troubles were sure to follow.

Perhaps it was time to accept the necessary evil.

If the academy knows they already have partners…

It would be a much simpler story.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep