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Chapter 36: Jason’s Interests

The argument in the dining hall was escalating to the point where it felt like the roof might cave in.

Until a slightly childish voice rang out, cutting through the chaos.

“Quiet in the dining hall! Settle down, everyone!”

There stood a girl with purple hair and black attire, wearing a black armband, leading a group of student council members.

No matter the faction or grade, everyone promptly shut their mouths and returned to their seats.

The student council was a neutral force, responsible for maintaining and mediating order. No matter who you were, you had to give them some respect. While everyone argued, it never got to the point of crossing any serious lines.

Seeing the dining hall return to its usual peace, Kreya let out a covert sigh of relief.

Though she wore a steady expression, inside she felt a wave of panic.

In her year since enrollment, such a ruckus with hundreds of people hadn’t happened often.

People respected the student council, but if someone decided to stir trouble and refused to back down, Kreya would have to take action.

Kreya was no slouch in strength, but suppressing a hundred extraordinary beings from various factions was still a tiny bit challenging.

But it was strange; there had been no significant news lately—what were they fighting about?

“So, can anyone tell me what you’re arguing about in broad daylight?”

As soon as she asked, people couldn’t keep quiet and all began shouting over each other.

Seriously, who cares who Roy is with?!

Kreya felt embarrassed at the thought, but before she could digest this notion, a group of people with red eyes surrounded her, almost in a frenzy.

“Vice President! Please tell us, what exactly happened that night? Did Roy and the President have that kind of relationship?!”

“I… uh…”

Caught off guard by the sudden question, Kreya couldn’t help but recall that chaotic scene she’d witnessed one night, with a boy and a girl all tangled up, making quite the spectacle. Her face flushed red as she stumbled over her words, unable to spit out a single coherent sentence.

She said nothing.

And yet, it felt like she said everything.

“No!!!”

Supporters of Charlotte and Nia began to wail dramatically, unable to handle the terrible news.

Fans of Leanna first burst into laughter, raising their glasses in cheer for the President’s victory, only to quickly realize something was off.

If the President and Roy really became a thing, wouldn’t that mean they’d forever lose the chance with that unattainable beauty? They wouldn’t even be able to dream about it!

After pursuing him fruitlessly for a whole semester, it turned out the junior only needed a few meetings to sweep her off her feet.

With that thought, everyone couldn’t help but mourn, chuckling one moment and bursting into tears the next.

Thus, the world of hurt and despair unfolded.

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The South Sea Mansion was hailed as the most beautiful mansion in the academy, a stunning sight that was loved by all students.

Nestled beside a clear, pristine lake and backed by a quiet, green hill, it looked like a refreshing watercolor painting. Being there felt like it could make one forget all worldly troubles and sink into nature’s embrace.

In the courtyard of the mansion, two impressive youths were leisurely engaged in a game of chess, flanked by a number of servants.

The tall and imposing Douglas wore a frown, seemingly indecisive about his next move.

Across from him, a lean young man with blue hair and glasses, radiating an air of refined elegance, sat smiling quietly and appeared calm and collected.

This was Jason Hassan, the leader of the South Sea faction, and Douglas’s rival turned ally, the seventh prince of the Kingdom of South Sea.

Moments later, Douglas sighed and waved his hand dismissively.

“I yield.”

Hearing this, Jason didn’t react with joy; instead, he expressed genuine regret: “Given your ability, it’s a shame to concede so easily.”

While saying this, Jason didn’t even look at the chessboard but stared straight at Douglas, his light blue eyes holding an intensity that seemed out of place with his demeanor.

However, Douglas shook his head.

“After the Trial of Blue, my faction is quite weakened, and there’s a lot of blame flying around. It’d be pointless to waste more energy on these trivial accolades.”

“I’m better off using this opportunity to sort things out back home.”

The factional conflict within the academy was really just a chance to prove oneself to others, reflecting the political struggles in miniature.

The success of the three major factions wasn’t just about the individuals involved; it also amplified their backing forces’ influence in Veszyra and solidified their status within.

However, the core strength of the Golden Sands faction took a serious hit during the Trial of Blue. There were plenty of nobles back home looking to take advantage of that to challenge Douglas.

“I’m not as carefree as you at home.”

Hearing Douglas’s words, Jason had to give up trying to persuade him.

Jason understood their situation well.

The number of princes in the Golden Sands Kingdom was vast, and the competition for the throne was fierce.

To put it bluntly, after such a big incident, Douglas could barely keep himself afloat.

The decline of the Golden Sands faction had already become a foregone conclusion, and the balance among the three major factions, maintained for a year, was bound to be shattered.

Jason felt even worse than Douglas himself; not being able to personally defeat his rival was his real regret.

The young prince gazed toward the forest’s edge, saying, “Very well. Next, I’ll focus entirely on dealing with that witch.”

But at that moment, Douglas interjected, “Here’s a tip: don’t get so fixated on the witch.”

“Your first-year junior isn’t so simple.”

Jason raised an eyebrow, looking at his old rival with a mixture of amusement and newfound understanding.

“You hold that Lionheart Princess in such high regard?”

Faction struggles aren’t just about individual strength; it’s about overall influence.

The Lionheart faction was still in its early stages and didn’t pose much of a threat.

Yet, Douglas gave him a meaningful glance: “I’m not talking about Charlotte; I’m referring to Roy.”

“Roy Ainbrad? He is indeed impressive, but he’s just a knight under the Lionheart Princess…”

Before Jason could finish, he inadvertently caught a glimpse of the king piece on the chessboard, and his eyes widened in disbelief as he looked back at Douglas.

The latter nodded silently, confirming Jason’s speculation.

“The princess and everyone in the council have a close relationship with him. In a sense, they follow his lead. I have a feeling he’s not merely a pawn, but a player moving the pieces,” Douglas elaborated, thinking of the witch and feeling somewhat disheartened. “And honestly, I get the impression he’s a bit like Leanna.”

Both of them, being princes, had the backing of their countries, and were involved in faction struggles to vie for more power.

Yet, Douglas could never quite grasp what exactly Leanna was after in her pursuit of power. But he sensed that Leanna had her own plans, motivations that were different from his own.

In that regard, Roy was the same.

Exceptionally gifted, immensely powerful, with deep-rooted influence and an elusive nature, he didn’t seem to be obsessed with power but appeared to be focused on something more significant.

However, unlike Leanna, Roy’s actions during the Trial had made a good impression on Douglas.

Both Roy and Jason could be considered friends to Douglas. Following his principle of impartiality, Douglas warned, “Just a heads-up, Roy Ainbrad is quite something; you’d best not see him as just a junior but treat him as an equal opponent.”

Douglas intended to caution Jason not to underestimate someone just because of the South Sea faction’s prestige.

But upon hearing this, Jason was somewhat skeptical, almost feeling that his old friend had been too soft from the setbacks caused by the cult during the trials.

Raising an eyebrow, Jason tapped the table, “If he’s as formidable as you say, why would he settle as just a knight under the Lionheart Princess?”