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Chapter 44: Some Happy Matters

“How do you interpret the connection between the Student Council’s favoritism towards the Lionheart faction and Leanna’s private meetings with Roy?”

The Prince of Nanhai stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the lake outside the balcony, his eyes as deep as the lightless depths of the water.

Behind him, the core members of the Nanhai faction exchanged glances.

Most of them were either the offspring of Nanhai’s aristocracy or trusted lieutenants personally promoted by Jason.

Kulan, the dark-skinned youth who had been locked up for a whole two weeks and had become the laughingstock both inside and outside the faction, was the first to draw a conclusion.

“Your Highness! Those two scoundrels must have teamed up! There have long been rumors that that scumbag Roy Ainbrad is skillful in winning women’s favor. He must have used sweet talk to deceive her and secretly formed an alliance!”

Jason raised an almost imperceptible brow.

Kulan had decent strength but always oversimplified problems.

Seeing that the Prince remained unresponsive, another member of the Nanhai faction replied cautiously, “Not necessarily.”

“If it really is an alliance, it shouldn’t just be limited to the Student Council; they should directly join forces to deal with us!”

Only then did Jason nod slightly, “So you think they would ally?”

“This… unlikely, right?”

“No, those two have met privately multiple times. It looks like a potential alliance, doesn’t it?”

“But there are no signs of cooperation between the two factions yet! They have no common interests!”

Amid the debate, Kulan couldn’t help but retort, “Hold on, those two have been drinking coffee together! Isn’t that clearly an alliance in the making?”

“Shut up, you locked-up loser!” “Yeah, you think forming an alliance is like dating?!”

Laughter erupted, leaving Kulan furious, his face flushed, yet utterly helpless.

Meanwhile, Jason observed the lively debate with a slight smile, shaking his head, “You all don’t understand.”

No command was needed; the Prince’s words symbolized authority, and as he spoke, everyone instinctively fell silent.

At that moment, Jason provided his analysis.

“You don’t understand Roy, nor do you understand Leanna.”

“Both possess extraordinary strength, are unfathomable, and reaching this point without solid backing is no small feat. They certainly won’t be subservient to anyone. And due to that mutual repulsion, they might ally, but it won’t happen so quickly.”

Unlike Douglas, Jason, though not embroiled in the royal power struggle, had spent years outsmarting Nanhai’s noble tycoons with his strategies. He had clarity in such matters.

Knowing oneself and knowing one’s enemy ensures victory in every battle.

A sharp light flickered in Jason’s eyes.

He had collected vast amounts of information about Roy and learned lessons from Douglas, who had crossed swords with him. As for Leanna, he needed not mention—after a whole year of conflict, he believed he had seen through the witch’s true nature!

“Currently, there’s no direct benefit to faction cooperation, but as long as they manage to defeat me, there will naturally be spoils to share.”

Jason glanced at the neatly arranged chessboard beside him, “However, despite the potential for an alliance, they act like two cunning hedgehogs, wary of each other’s threat! That’s why they’re limited to this superficial contact rather than formal negotiations!”

“Right now is the moment they have yet to form an alliance!”

Upon hearing Jason’s analysis, everyone suddenly got enlightened.

“What does that mean for Your Highness?”

Jason turned back, displaying a confident smile as if he had already secured victory.

“When three forces clash, eliminate the weakest one first.”

“And with that clever witch, she surely knows what she should be doing at this time.”

As long as he crushed Roy’s Lionheart faction, Leanna would have no need to ally with them. Instead, she could seize the opportunity to carve up the Lionheart’s turf at minimal cost. Why not? Alliances between factions are rarely enduring; clearly, immediate benefits are more realistic than opposing themselves.

Once they dealt with the Lionheart faction together, they could settle their score afterward.

Understanding Jason’s intention, the core members of the Nanhai faction displayed expressions of understanding and admiration, praising His Highness’s wisdom, and even more, his understanding of the enemy.

However, at that moment, Kulan reminded, “Your Highness, allow me to point out that you’ve overlooked something!”

Jason raised an eyebrow in surprise, “Oh?”

He never missed any suggestions from his subordinates, not even from the usually simple-minded Kulan.

Kulan gritted his teeth, his expression severe, “Have you never thought that they might actually have an affair and disregard the interest cost to directly form an alliance?”

As soon as he spoke, laughter and jeers erupted.

“Seriously, dude, stop eavesdropping on campus gossip!”

“An affair? You think this is a romance novel?”

“Setting aside whether the Roy family would want his head, do you think Leanna would? Do you really think that witch would lose her mind over romantic affairs?!”

The world was unaware that Leanna and the witch were one and the same, but the Nanhai faction had faced off against the witch multiple times and had deeply realized she was the kind of person who ruthlessly abandoned any underling, only pursuing benefits—worthy of the title “witch” indeed.

While it was possible to toy with a man for fun, uniting with a mere boy for love was as absurd as a tyrannical king being sidetracked by a common village girl.

However, Jason’s brow twitched at Kulan’s words, sensing a hint of unease.

He was confident the two hadn’t formed an alliance.

But at the end of the day, why had Leanna been meeting Roy privately again and again? If they were going to ally, shouldn’t it be a formal meeting instead?

Could it be that they were actually dating?

At that fleeting thought, Jason almost burst out laughing.

Roy wasn’t simple. Yet, what about Jason’s imagination about how flirty he had to be to keep two heavyweight figures in the family at bay while also chasing after women? He simply couldn’t envision what it would look like for Leanna to date! If that witch were to play around with male affections, there might be some possibility.

With this in mind, Jason made the decisive call, “No need for further discussion; this matter is settled.”

“We’ll take action against the Lionheart faction soon. As for Leanna, I’ll keep her in check.”

Jason stepped forward to the chessboard, casually flicked a piece, knocking over the white king.

“The chess game’s settled.”

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“Phfft.”

In the subtle scent of incense, amidst the dim darkness, accompanied by a hissing sound like a sinister breeze, countless pairs of cold eyes gradually stirred. Surrounded by an array of contorted snakes, the witch seated upon her throne suddenly let out a derisive laugh.

Beside her, Kreya, who had been nodding off, widened her eyes in shock as if she had seen a giant dragon descending from the sky.

Having followed Leanna for years, she had long been accustomed to the terrifying snakes that could scare a regular girl senseless, the impenetrable darkness, and the witch’s chilling laughter lurking in the shadows.

A smile from the witch meant unpredictable death.

Whenever Leanna smirked, it signified that someone was in trouble, and the poor souls targeted by her usually faced dismal fates.

The previous priest from the “Necromancy School” was an example.

Yet, precisely because of this, Kreya felt the current scene to be even more bizarre.

Ever since she received the letter from the Nanhai faction, Leanna had become like this.

Why on earth did our Student Council President, the “Serpent-eyed Witch,” rest her cheek upon her hand, revealing a soft and sweet smile as if encountering a long-awaited first love?!

But wasn’t she supposed to like Roy? Why was she smiling at the letter from the Nanhai faction?

Unable to suppress her curiosity, Kreya mustered her courage and cautiously asked, “President, may I ask what the letter says?”

Leanna didn’t even lift her head, only responding with a faint smile, “Oh, it’s nothing. Just some happy matters.”

 

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