Chapter 17

Rou stood in front of his adviser in the faculty office, his posture stiff as he bowed deeply. He tried to keep a neutral expression, but inside, he was bracing himself for the storm that was coming.

Rou:

[I apologize, sir]

Rou could already tell that his adviser was barely keeping his composure. The older man's face was red with frustration, his eyes blazing with anger. The room was thick with tension.

The adviser, a tall man named Professor Virel, slammed his palm down onto the desk, making Rou flinch slightly.

Virel:

[Apologize all you want, but that doesn't excuse your behavior, Rou! (he snapped, voice sharp and furious.) You do not mock the crown prince, especially in front of other students. Do you have any idea what kind of consequences your actions could have?]

Rou opened his mouth, ready to defend himself, but the words caught in his throat. He could feel the professor's anger radiating through the room like a heavy weight. His usual smug confidence was nowhere to be found. He had been in plenty of situations where he could talk his way out of trouble, but this wasn't one of them.

Rou:

[You see—]

Virel cut him off before he could get a word out.

Virel:

[You made a complete spectacle of yourself. Not only did you humiliate Prince Caelum, but you also undermined the authority of the academy. You're here to learn, to grow—not to act like some… wild animal.]

Rou stood in silence, biting his lip. His mind raced, trying to come up with an excuse, but everything he thought of seemed pointless in the face of the professor's fury.

Rou:

(It wasn't like I wanted to make a scene)

He couldn't help but laugh, couldn't help but mock him. The prince was weak and arrogant, and Rou had wanted to show him that.

The professor continued, shaking his head in disbelief.

Virel:

[You think this is a game? That you can just walk around challenging royalty and treating them however you want?] (he hissed) [If word gets out about what happened today, the consequences will be severe. Prince Caelum is a future ruler, Rou, and you can't afford to make enemies with someone like him.]

Rou still didn't say anything. He could feel the weight of the professor's disappointment pressing down on him. It wasn't like he was scared of the prince—he was more worried about the trouble he might get into for messing with someone of such importance.

Virel:

[Do you understand the gravity of the situation?]

Rou nodded, his head slightly lowered.

Rou:

[Yes, sir. I understand.]

The professor let out a long sigh, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

Virel:

[Good. You're lucky Caelum didn't issue a punishment or demand a formal apology in front of the academy. But mark my words, Rou, if you pull something like this again, I will not hesitate to remove you from the academy myself.]

Rou nodded again, this time with more conviction. He knew he had messed up. There was no denying it.

The professor's stern gaze softened, just slightly.

Virel:

[Now go. And think carefully about your actions from here on out.]

With a final look at the professor, Rou turned to leave the office. His mind was still buzzing from the confrontation, but one thing was clear: he would have to be more careful moving forward, or else the consequences could be far worse than just a reprimand.

Afternoon...

Rou sat alone on a bench near the academy's fountain, the sound of water gently splashing nearby. He sighed deeply, his shoulders slumping as he stared at the ripples in the water. His mind was still reeling from the events of the morning, and the more he thought about it, the more he couldn't shake the feeling of frustration.

Rou:

[Crown prince, huh? The guy can get away with anything. His reputation alone shields him from half the crap he does. If he can use that reputation of his in the game then it would've been an easier run!]

???:

[My, is that something you should be worried about? You should be glad your head is still intact after that useless duel you had with the crown prince]

Rou was shocked by the sudden voice. He knew exactly who it was. He turned his head slowly, and there she was, leaning casually against a nearby pillar, her arms folded with a small smirk on her lips. Despite her nonchalant posture, her presence was as commanding as ever.

Elise:

[It's been a while Rou... My knight]

Rou:

(Elise!?)

[When did you arrive!?... How did you even know about the duel?"]

Elise chuckled.

Elise:

[I just came back last evening. But by the time I arrived, the rumors were already flying fast. Heard you were fighting the crown prince today.]

Rou furrowed his brow, slightly irritated.

Rou:

[Rumors?...huh ...]

Elise nodded, her smile widening as she crossed her arms.

Elise:

[Mhm... When someone like you—who doesn't exactly blend in with the crowd—does something as ridiculous as challenge the crown prince, it doesn't stay quiet for long.]

Rou huffed, trying to brush off the embarrassment.

Rou:

[That's not what I was trying to do, though…and HE was the one who challenged me]

Elise raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced.

Elise:

[Really? Although, you didn't go easy on him, that's for sure.]

Rou sighed, running a hand through his hair, realizing there was no getting out of this one.

Rou:

[Fine, I guess you could say I overdid it. But I just couldn't stand it. He was just so… so…]

Elise:

[So arrogant? Entitled?]

Rou gave a dry laugh.

Rou:

[Yeah, exactly. But enough about that. What's this about you coming back? I thought you were still—]

Elise waved him off dismissively, cutting him off before he could finish.

Elise:

[Let's just say some things have changed. I've been reintegrated as they call it. They couldn't keep me out forever.]

Rou tilted his head, intrigued but still cautious.

Rou:

[Reintegrated, huh?]

Elise smirked again, her eyes glinting with something unreadable.

Elise:

[... I guess, not quite. But you'll be seeing a lot more of me around.]

Rou stared at her, wondering what exactly she meant by that, but he couldn't help but feel that something was about to shift, something he couldn't quite put his finger on.