Chapter 173: Chapter 173 : Broken Trust and Relation’s

Meanwhile, inside Zenith Academy, seven days had passed in the blink of an eye since the attack on the capital and the kidnapping incident.

The entire continent was still reeling from the news. Whispers and urgent discussions filled political halls, taverns, and even private homes.

What had happened in the Empire of Avaloria was something no one could have anticipated.

Every nation, regardless of distance or political stance, was now on high alert — as if an invisible shadow had fallen over the world.

Armies were mobilizing, borders reinforced, and patrols doubled. Even the calmest leaders had begun making preparations, fearing that what happened in Avaloria could happen to them next.

Within the pristine walls of Zenith Academy, life appeared to move on. Students went to classes, trained, and laughed in the courtyards — but beneath the surface, the air was tense.

Conversations often trailed into hushed tones, glances were exchanged more often than greetings, and every bit of news was treated like gold.

The most popular topic of discussion? The sudden rise of a new apex among the first years — Ethan Williams.

It had all started when Ethan had openly challenged Alex Dragonheart to a duel, an event the entire first-year batch was buzzing about.

The match had been hyped as the showdown. Yet when the day came, Alex didn’t show up… and to everyone’s surprise, neither did Ethan. The entire academy was left hanging, curiosity gnawing at them.

Still, Ethan was seen around campus in the days following. Alex, however, was nowhere to be found.

Eventually, the administration declared the match a draw, and the excitement faded into murmurs of confusion.

That confusion didn’t last long. Three days later, a different kind of news shook the academy to its core.

The story spread like wildfire — the “heroes” of the first years had been kidnapped. Details trickled in, claiming Ethan alone had rescued countless citizens and all of his friends during the attack.

But there was one person he couldn’t save. Alex.

The report came with confirmation from Carter Brown, a respected hunter, and quickly made its way across the world.

The public devoured the tale — Ethan Williams, the lone hero who had faced impossible odds.

His bravery was praised in headlines, stories, and academy gossip alike. Statues weren’t being built yet, but the admiration was almost tangible.

Before long, Ethan was officially declared the new apex of the first years.

A week passed. The day began like any other… at least for most.

Ethan walked through the grand, sunlit corridors of Zenith Academy toward Classroom 1-A.

The sound of his boots on the polished floor echoed faintly, accompanied by the quiet hum of conversation that died down wherever he passed.

Hundreds of eyes turned to him. Some were warm with admiration, some sharp with envy, and others clouded with suspicion.

Praise me, envy me, doubt me… it doesn’t matter anymore.

He ignored them all, his expression calm but distant. Eventually, he reached the familiar sliding door to Class 1-A.

Pausing for a moment, he closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath — steadying himself for what was to come.

The door slid open with a soft whoosh.

Dozens of gazes locked onto him instantly. The weight of their attention was nothing new, but today it felt heavier than usual.

He didn’t acknowledge any of them, stepping inside with measured strides toward his seat.

That’s when he saw her.

A blue-haired girl sitting at their usual spot, an empty seat beside her — Seraphina. She tilted her head slightly and offered him a small smile.

It wasn’t her real smile.

It was careful. Fragile. As if she was silently saying, Don’t worry… you don’t have to go through it all alone.

But Ethan had seen her real smile before — the one that reached her eyes and carried warmth. This one didn’t even come close.

She’s faking it… maybe even she loathes me now.

A broken smirk tugged at his lips as he averted his gaze.

Before he could sit somewhere else, Seraphina reached out and firmly took his hand, guiding him into the seat beside her.

“Thank you… for at least being here for me, Sera,” Ethan murmured under his breath.

Seraphina opened her mouth as if to respond, but the words didn’t come. An image flashed in her mind — a sight she wished she could erase.

Something she couldn’t bear to imagine again. Her fingers tightened slightly on her lap.

Finally, in a low, almost trembling voice, she whispered, “No… I was never not there when he needed me. You know… I’m just as guilty as you. So… don’t beat yourself up too much.”

Ethan didn’t reply. But for a brief moment, the heaviness in his chest eased — just slightly.

—

Then suddenly, both Ethan and Seraphina’s attention shifted forward, their eyes instinctively falling on two empty seats.

Alden’s seat — untouched, perfectly in place as if he had never been part of the class.

Even after returning to the academy, Alden had not attended a single lesson.

The only thing anyone managed to learn was that he had locked himself in a training room, refusing all visitors.

Rumor had it he had personally asked Professor Alistar to take him in as a disciple.

On the rare occasion they crossed paths in the academy corridors, he treated Ethan like a complete stranger — cold eyes, no words, no acknowledgment.

Charlotte, on the other hand, did attend classes — but she sat alone, in the back row by the window.

The exact seat Alex used to occupy. She never spoke to anyone, her gaze fixed outside as if waiting for someone who would never come.

Ava’s seat was right beside her, but it remained empty all week — Ava hadn’t come to class at all.

Draven was no different. The moment he had stepped foot in the academy after the incident, he disappeared without a trace.

The bonds that had once tied them all together had frayed into silence. Not a word was exchanged between them for an entire week.

The door to the classroom slid open with a soft, deliberate sound.

A collective murmur rose, and countless gazes followed the newcomer.

A tall, graceful figure with long blond hair and sharp amber eyes, delicate features — the kind of beauty that made conversations pause mid-sentence — entered the room.

It was Elaria Moonshade Lareth’Thalas.

The Elven Princess.

Her usual haughty expression was in place, her steps elegant yet dripping with the silent proclamation that the world beneath her feet was hers to walk upon. She moved through the classroom as if it were a royal banquet.

And then, halfway down, she stopped — right beside Ethan.

Her lips curved into a mischievous smirk.

“That new uniform looks nice on you,” she said, her tone dripping with playful malice.

“Must be nice to get the title without putting in any effort. I’m really envious of you. But… it’s a shame, isn’t it? After all, you didn’t get to fight the one who earned it.”

Ethan’s breath hitched. He knew exactly what she meant — the Apex title. He had been given it without defeating the one who had truly earned it. Not like him, but like Alex.

He opened his mouth to form a retort… but nothing came out. His lips parted, then closed again, the words evaporating before they reached his tongue.

Seraphina’s eyes narrowed. She could endure many things — but not some outsider mocking him without knowing what they had gone through.

She rose from her seat.

“Mind your own business,” she said sharply. “You don’t know anything. And for your information, he never wanted the Apex title.”

Elaria’s smirk widened.

“Oh? Looks like the hero can’t even fight his own verbal battles if his girlfriend has to stand up for him.”

Seraphina froze, color rushing to her cheeks.

Ethan, however, remained silent, his gaze unmoving.

Elaria turned her sharp, amber eyes on Seraphina again.

“If your little boyfriend here didn’t want the title, then why didn’t he refuse it when it was given to him?”

This time Seraphina’s breath hitched. She glanced at Ethan — still silent, still unmoving. Her lips parted, but no answer came.

Elaria took satisfaction in that silence and was about to continue walking when a new voice cut through the tension.

“He didn’t deny the title because he was worthy of it… unlike some people who get jealous of others’ talents. Just like you.”

A vein bulged faintly on Elaria’s temple as she slowly turned her head to face the speaker.

It was Maria Lunehart — the Saintess candidate.

Elaria’s smirk returned.

“Oh? So the puppet of the Church speaks in defense of her mighty hero. Tell me then… how was he more worthy?”

Maria, normally reserved and quiet, spoke without hesitation.

“Unlike you and that Alex guy, he is the chosen one — blessed by three gods and the Goddess of Light herself. So how is he not more worthy than that commoner who has no bac—”

Ethan’s breath caught in his throat.

Before Maria could finish, the air in the room shifted — a sudden, biting chill spread like a wave, coating desks and walls with frost.

Everyone’s breath misted.

Maria’s voice faltered as her gaze turned toward the source.

Seraphina was on her feet, her icy-blue eyes sharp enough to pierce steel.

Her steps were slow but deliberate as she approached Maria.

“What,” she asked in a low, dangerous voice, “the hell did you just say?”

Maria’s lips trembled slightly.

“Lady Seraphina, I was just saying that comm—”

Before she could finish, a sharp crack rang out.

Maria’s head snapped to the side as a fist slammed into her cheek, sending her sprawling across the classroom floor.

The entire room froze in stunned silence — even Seraphina blinked in disbelief, because the one who had thrown the punch…

…was not her.

Standing there, her fist still clenched, was a breathtaking young woman with snow-white hair cascading down her back, eyes like deep amethyst gems — cold, unyielding, and regal.

Charlotte Evans Avaloria.

The First Princess of the Human Empire.

Charlotte’s face was a mask of restrained fury, her amethyst eyes locking onto Maria like a predator sighting its prey.

Her steps were deliberate, the sharp tap of her shoes echoing in the tense silence as she closed the distance.

Maria, still sprawled on the floor, turned her head to see who dared strike her.

The moment her gaze landed on the white-haired beauty, her breath caught in her throat.

Charlotte Evans Avaloria — the First Princess of the Human Empire — was walking toward her with the kind of regal dominance that made even the proudest nobles bow.

For a split second, Maria’s instincts screamed at her to retreat. But she was the Saintess candidate of the Holy Empire. If she backed down here, everyone would see it as weakness of the Church — and weakness in her position was unacceptable. The weight of her title pressed down on her pride.

She pushed herself up to her feet, her hands trembling only slightly as she met Charlotte’s gaze.

“Your Highness,” Maria said, her voice tight with suppressed anger, “what is the meaning of this?”

Charlotte’s expression remained blank, but her words were sharp as a blade.

“People like you — no matter how important you think you are — should know their limits. Cross them, and there will be consequences. Didn’t the Church teach you that?”

Before Maria could reply, the gravity in the room shifted. It was as if the air itself grew heavier, pressing down on everyone’s shoulders. A few students gasped, their knees buckling.

Ethan immediately stood up.

“Char, stop it,” he said firmly.

But Charlotte didn’t even glance his way.

Maria, now struggling to stay upright under the crushing weight, clenched her teeth. Light began to gather in her right hand, shimmering with holy power.

“If this is how you want it,” she said coldly, “then so be it.”

Charlotte’s lips curved into a dangerous smirk.

“Come at me, you bitch. I’ve been wanting to vent my anger on someone, and the training dummies just don’t cut it.”

Maria began channeling her spell — only for her body to suddenly lock up. Half of her frame was encased in crystalline frost, her breath misting in shock.

She turned her eyes in horror toward the source.

Seraphina was standing, her gaze frigid enough to freeze the marrow in one’s bones.

“I dare you to try it,” she said, her voice like a shard of ice.

Charlotte gave Seraphina a sideways glance.

“I don’t need your help.”

“I’m not trying to help you,” Seraphina replied flatly.

Meanwhile, Elaria and Lilith — seated at the side — were watching the scene unfold with barely concealed amusement, exchanging smirks like spectators at an arena match.

Ethan, however, was growing increasingly tense, trying to find the right moment to step in before things spiraled beyond control.

And then it happened — a sudden, crushing wave of pressure swept across the classroom, heavier and far more authoritative than Charlotte’s gravity.

“Everyone. To your seats.”

The voice was calm yet carried an edge that brooked no argument.

“You have ten seconds to get out of here…. or I will make you.”

Alistar Croft — the handsome vampire and the academy’s Combat Arts instructor — had arrived. His presence alone made the air feel sharper, heavier.

“Try to keep things civil in my class,” he continued, stepping fully inside. “No violence. As you all know, I’m handling these sessions until Miss Vega returns to the academy.”

Charlotte clicked her tongue in annoyance but said nothing. She gave Maria one last glare.

“Keep your tongue in check… or even the Church won’t be able to save you.”

Maria’s jaw tightened, but she turned away and returned to her seat.

Charlotte walked calmly toward the back of the room and sat down — in Alex’s old seat.

Seeing the situation settle, Alistar clapped his hands once.

“Perfect.”

He flicked his fingers, and in an instant, every shard and trace of ice in the room vanished.

“Now… let’s start the lesson.”

—

Meanwhile — Third Year Building

Inside one of the top cadets’ apartment houses, a white-haired girl lay sprawled on her bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. The light from the window barely touched her face, highlighting the deep shadows under her eyes.

She looked like she hadn’t slept in days.

Her mind was adrift, lost in thoughts she couldn’t shake.

Then — ding.

The soft chime of her EtherPad pulled her from the haze. Slowly, she reached out and picked it up, the screen lighting up to reveal a new message.

`< Come back home. I have something very interesting to show you… something that might pull you out of your depression.

— Mom >`

———

A/N:

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