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Chapter 41: Douglas’s Invitation

Noticing the coldness from the other side, Yana immediately switched from her previous bratty attitude to one of faux sorrow, feigning tears that weren’t there.

“Cousin, our families have such a good relationship, and we are like siblings! Now that I’ve been bullied, I can only count on you!”

Douglas was not naive enough to miss the threat hidden in those words.

Yes, he was the noble Third Prince.

But with the political turmoil in the Kingdom of the Golden Sands and the declining royal power, as the least favored prince, he needed the Shanic family as support. This was also why he had tolerated Yana up until now.

After a moment’s thought, Douglas sighed, “I’ll help you this once, but don’t expect it again.”

Seeing Douglas agree, Yana’s face lit up with joy, and she eagerly said, “Cousin, as a prince and a senior in our academy, leading one of the largest factions here, dealing with a mere country noble from the Lionheart Kingdom should be a piece of cake for you!”

Douglas, the Third Prince of the Golden Sands, was indeed a second-year student who had already established his own influence.

The second-year students from the Lionheart Kingdom were quite the bunch, with scarcely a decent strong warrior among them. How could they possibly stand up to Douglas? Moreover, whether the students from that kingdom would support Roy was still a question!

With Douglas as her backing, dealing with a ‘scumbag bully’ would be a walk in the park, right?!

She wanted to return the humiliation she suffered today right back to those two wretches!

As for Roy, heh, let him repay his debts with his body.

With that thought, Yana couldn’t help but raise her wine glass, savoring her victory.

The next day was the weekend.

Very early, two seniors from the Kingdom of the Golden Sands came to pay a visit, bringing an invitation.

The visitors were two Sequence 8 students. Though they bore no ill intentions, their hidden sharpness kept Nia and Alice on high alert.

The four of them sat across from one another in the room, the extraordinary presence they exuded nearly causing the air to thicken.

“Mr. Roy, His Highness Douglas invites you to dinner tonight at the Golden Manor, hoping to resolve the misunderstanding between you and Lady Yana.”

Nia slammed her hand on the table, dissatisfied, “Misunderstanding my foot! You all clearly bullied Alice first…”

“I understand. We will attend.”

“Huh?” Nia turned around, somewhat confused.

“Roy, this is clearly a trap! If we go to their territory, won’t we be like fish on the chopping block? By the way, what are you doing eating right now?!”

Only then did Nia realize that Roy was casually munching away at the table, nearly driving her to madness.

The seven major powers of the Western Continent were essentially at a stalemate, with the Lionheart Kingdom barely floating above the rest in terms of military strength.

But the strength of Veszyra didn’t necessarily reflect the power dynamics within the academy.

Ultimately, enrolling young people was meant for their development; unless there were real injuries or deaths, no faction would intervene as if they were a parent protecting their child.

The Kingdom of the Golden Sands was undoubtedly one of the three greatest forces in the Magic Academy, not to mention they had dozens of Sequence 8 strongmen under their command, with Douglas, the faction leader, already at Sequence 7.

Even if Nia was braver and loved adventure, she didn’t believe they stood a chance on their turf.

Yet Roy, unfazed, smiled slightly. “Don’t worry, nothing will happen.”

In fact, this was precisely what he wanted.

He planned to resolve the issue with Yana thoroughly at the negotiating table.

“I trust that Senior Douglas won’t act in a way that dishonors his noble status. Please let him know I won’t break my word.” He raised his gaze to the two seniors and stated calmly.

The two exchanged glances, both somewhat surprised.

Having already gone through a year of training at the academy, they had learned to focus on the matter at hand, putting aside domestic disputes and glory. Regardless of what Roy’s reputation was, at least this composed demeanor was not something an ordinary first-year student should display.

But in the next moment, Roy’s aura became casual again as he looked over at Nia’s plate. “By the way, if you’re not eating that ham, just give it to me.”

Nia slapped his outstretched hand away.

“Who said I wasn’t eating it?!” Just moments ago, she had scolded the boy for being a glutton, but now she was fiercely preserving her breakfast.

That afternoon, Roy set off with Alice and Nia for the appointment.

Little did they know, just as they left, a carriage emblazoned with a fiery lion came slowly rolling in.

As soon as the carriage arrived, a red-haired girl hopped down eagerly, barely able to contain her excitement as she pushed open the door.

“Roy, do you have time now…”

Looking at the empty room, the princess’s smile immediately froze.

——————

As soon as she entered the noble district, Nia couldn’t help but widen her eyes in amazement.

Compared to the commoner area, it felt like a completely different world.

Beautiful and exquisite flowers, elegantly styled statues, and one grand villa after another of varied but striking styles perfectly showcased the luxury that belonged to the nobility.

The modest style of the Verdant Council houses was basically like living in tree huts—Nia had never seen such a scene before!

But for Roy and Alice heading to the Sunset Red Fortress, these buildings were nothing special.

Entering the noble district, they walked straight ahead and soon saw the most striking gold manor.

That was Douglas’s residence, the Golden Manor.

As the three entered the manor, they were instantly blinded by the golden decor.

The architectural design of the Kingdom of the Golden Sands wasn’t particularly unique, but the lavish adornments were truly remarkable.

One word: gold.

Walls, floors, lampstands, picture frames—all shimmered with a faint golden hue, radiating brilliance. Even the servants and maids employed in the mansion wore uniforms accented with gold, flaunting their extravagant wealth.

However, upon reaching the dining room on the second floor, the atmosphere grew heavy.

The rows of standing figures were not mere servants but senior students one after another, exuding an invisible yet heavy extraordinary aura, even without any weapons in hand.

This was clearly more than just a simple dinner.

“Say, are we really okay just stepping into someone else’s turf like this?” Nia couldn’t help but whisper.

“The host has his plans,” Alice remained cool-headed.

“Let’s hope so.” Nia’s tone carried an undercurrent of hesitation.

Roy wasn’t a villain or even a scoundrel.

But he was still a first-year student, and Nia couldn’t imagine how he would arm-wrestle with the leader of one of the three major factions on their home ground.

Just thinking about it made her stomach hurt. But if something were to happen, she couldn’t just watch the two of them suffer, which was why she gritted her teeth to come along.

She hoped Roy really had a plan.

At that moment, Douglas approached, his handsome features bearing a hint of grandeur and a regal smile as he extended his hand, “Welcome, Mr. Roy.”

He was smiling, but the Sequence 7-level extraordinary aura he exuded felt like a scalding wind, leaving Nia slightly uncomfortable.

“Good evening, Senior Douglas,” Roy replied lightly, stepping forward to shake his hand naturally.

The Prince of the Golden Sands narrowed his eyes slightly, momentarily taken aback.

Not calling him “Your Highness,” but addressing him as “Senior” suggested that Roy regarded him as an equal classmate, aiming to resolve their issues within the school framework.

Moreover, he remained unfazed in the face of Douglas’s pressure, not acting like an ordinary Sequence 8 student, let alone a fresh-faced newcomer.

What he initially thought was just a squabble with a useless scoundrel turned out to be quite intriguing.

 

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