Chapter27-The Thorned Rose

"So, it's Prins of House Windwhisper," said Rose, the girl who had spoken up earlier, her tone full of disdain. "Bullying others again and trying to steal their spoils?" 

Prins's eyes briefly flashed with admiration when he saw Rose, but it was quickly replaced by caution. 

"What's it to you? This isn't your academy. I can do whatever I want here; you have no authority over me." 

"Well, today, I do," Rose replied. "We all heard you trying to harass this girl. That's something Dead Pink won't tolerate." 

"Dead Pink? Every time I hear that name, I want to laugh!" Prins sneered. "What, did you come up with that name playing kids' games? This area is managed by House Windwhisper. Get lost, or I'll beat you until you beg me to stop." 

"Think you can handle it, weakling?" Rose laughed. 

Through constant training, Rose's aura had become entirely different; she was now a high-tier Bronze, just a step away from Silver. The other girls with her were at similar levels. 

Prins and his group also had several Bronze tiers, but Prins himself was an early Silver tier, one level above Rose. 

Despite this, Rose wasn't afraid in the slightest. 

All of them had fought spell beasts face-to-face on the borders, and with the top-notch equipment and protections Daniel provided for each student, Rose felt confident she could defeat someone like Prins despite the slight rank difference. 

"Oh? Are you confused?" Prins squinted. "This is my family's land. Even if I killed you here, as long as no bodies are found, no one would care! You really think your academy would go to war over such a small matter?" 

"Good point," Rose pondered aloud. "So, if I killed all of you here and no bodies were found, House Windwhisper wouldn't go to war either, right?" 

"You!" Prins jumped, furious. 

Just as he was about to speak, a sudden sword aura slashed toward him without warning. 

Rose had made her move. 

Prins was startled; he hadn't expected Rose to attack so directly. 

Although his level was higher than Rose's, he lacked the courage to push forward. 

Panicking under her sword wind, Prins tried to use magic, but, unpracticed, he stumbled on a tree branch and nearly fell. 

The sharp sword wind grazed his cheek, shaving off a chunk of his hair and leaving a bloody scratch. 

"You wretch!" Prins shouted, clutching his face. "How dare you injure me! You're dead." 

Unable to rely on his magic, Prins reached for a scroll, one containing a mid-tier Silver fire spell. 

If he unleashed it, both the mercenary siblings and Rose would be incinerated. Humiliated, he could only think of lashing out and used the strongest attack method given to him by his elders. 

"Ladies, attack!" Rose commanded. 

The girls sprang into coordinated action. 

Two mages summoned a massive web, ensnaring Prins and his lackeys, while an assassin, who had been hidden from the start, struck each of them with a dagger coated in paralyzing poison. 

Within moments, Prins and his cronies lay immobilized on the ground. 

"Coming out here to bully people with that level of skill? Pathetic." Rose sneered. "I'll spare you this time. Get lost! If I catch you doing this again, I'll make sure you regret it." 

"Just wait! You think you're tough because you've got backup?" Prins shouted defiantly. "If you're so brave, join the Mist River secret realm trial. I'll have my sister teach you a harsh lesson." 

"Oh, I'm definitely going!" Rose sheathed her greatsword. "And when I do, I'll make sure none of House Windwhisper's participants leave unscathed." 

With that, she threw a scroll onto the ground. 

A gust of wind swept through the area, and when it died down, Prins and his followers had vanished. 

The team's healer began treating the mercenary siblings. 

"Alright, you're safe now." Rose walked over. "But you've still managed to anger Prins." 

"Thank you! You're with Dead Pink, right? I've heard of you—you're all from Crossbridge Academy." The female mage looked at Rose with admiration. "We want to join the academy too." 

"Our academy would welcome you," Rose replied. "You've got resilience, so I'm sure you'll get in." 

"Please take these spell beast spoils as our thanks," the mage girl offered. 

"No need. You need these more than we do, and you watched over them, and your brother was injured because of it," Rose said generously. "Go ahead and keep them." 

In talking with them, Rose learned that the two were from nearby Black Bear Town, a place under House Windwhisper's influence. 

If they returned there, Prins would undoubtedly seek them out for revenge after his humiliation. 

Rose was no longer the naïve girl she had once been. 

"Do you have any family or friends?" she asked. "Send them away from Black Bear Town to nearby Stag Deer Town—that's in Crossbridge Academy's territory." 

"If you want to join the academy, you can recover there and then travel with my people." 

The mage girl worriedly replied, "We do have a few friends still in town, but if there are so many of us, would Crossbridge Academy really accept us?" 

"Of course!" Rose replied proudly. "Crossbridge's Headmaster, Mr. Daniel, is a very kind person. He'd be happy to welcome young people like you." 

Unlike Prins, Rose never revealed that she was the headmaster's daughter. 

Her answer brought smiles to the mercenary siblings' faces. 

They bowed to Rose, full of gratitude. 

Becoming a Crossbridge student was their greatest dream, and today, it had finally come true. 

Back at the academy, Daniel received a letter from Rose. 

He nodded approvingly. "Much better than before." 

"All thanks to your guidance, Headmaster," Ms. Isolde remarked. "Rose commands a great deal of respect among the students. They all admire her." 

The Seedling Cultivation Plan was progressing smoothly. 

The young students were venturing out, exploring the world. 

Not only had they made their mark in Crossbridge's territory, but they had also gone to Lunastone and House Windwhisper's lands. 

The Crossbridge students' strong performance had significantly enhanced the academy's reputation across the region. 

"Daniel, there's something else I wanted to report," Ms. Isolde said. "Our academy's fame is spreading, and many practitioners have moved near the academy. Some smaller families have even relocated to Riverside City." 

"These families originally relied on the other two houses. I worry they might take issue with this." 

"Let them. If they're displeased, they can come to me," Daniel replied. 

He had no qualms about disrupting the longstanding balance of power among the three forces in Riverside City. 

Seeing the concern on Ms. Isolde's face, Daniel shook his head. "Our ambitions extend far beyond here and Lake City." 

"Our academy will one day be the most prestigious institution on the continent. We're only getting started; can't handle the pressure already?" 

"I mentioned to Mr. Aldric once about a seventeen-year-old Tier-Diamond knight. Compared to her, our students are still far behind. That's just a small target for us now." 

A seventeen-year-old Tier-Diamond knight! A small target? 

Ms. Isolde broke into a cold sweat. 

Even she hadn't reached Tier-Diamond yet. 

"No need to worry," Daniel reassured her. "Training isn't just about talent; it's about choice. As long as I'm here, I'll turn even the most average into a so-called genius." 

"Ms. Isolde, although you're in charge of logistics, your strength must improve too!" Daniel ordered firmly, "Within six months, you and the other teachers must break through to Tier-Diamond and step into Tier-Platinum."