The commotion in the Training Ground stopped instantly.
Everyone stared dumbfoundedly at the wooden sword trembling, stuck 3 inches into the stone at the top of the wall, then looked at the petite yet imposing white-haired, red-eyed girl outside the field, as well as the calm, purple-haired young lady behind her.
For a moment, there was a deathly silence.
Just then, a male voice, somewhat lazy yet vaguely revealing disdain and mockery, slowly rang out from the depths of the Training Ground.
“Ah, sorry, sorry — my hand slipped.”
Along with the words, a young man wearing a flashy, slim-fit training uniform with short brown hair and a fairly handsome face, but with an air of arrogance between his brows, parted the crowd and walked out unhurriedly.
He carried another Wooden Sword casually on his shoulder, a completely insincere smirk hanging on his lips.
His frivolous gaze fell upon Freya, then swept over the furious Lyra, and finally fixed on the wooden sword stuck in the top of the wall.
A flicker of surprise flashed through his eyes, but it was quickly replaced by more contempt.
Freya’s gaze turned cold.
She recognized this person —
Willow Bouquet, the heir of the House Bouquet, a student of the Royal Academy, and one of the most enthusiastic roles serving as a thug and pawn within Crown Prince Ross’s inner circle.
In her previous life, this fellow had frequently followed Ross, using sarcasm against her or even setting traps in secret.
‘Slipped?’
‘In a Kendo training ground, “slipping” a sword out of the field and having it fly accurately toward a passing student? This clumsy excuse wouldn’t even be believed by a 3-year-old child. This was clearly a deliberate provocation!’
‘Was it to vent for Ross? Or did he want to test Lyra? Or perhaps both?’
“Willow Bouquet.”
Freya’s voice was calm and steady, yet it carried an invisible pressure.
“Your ‘slip’ almost caused serious injury. According to the Academy’s regulations, training equipment must be strictly controlled within the field. This is a serious violation.”
Willow sneered, picking his ear with his pinky finger, looking completely indifferent.
“Oh, Lady Freya, don’t be so serious. No one was hurt, right? Besides…”
His gaze shifted to Lyra, sizing her up, his tone even more frivolous.
“Isn’t your little follower quite skilled? She kicked the sword away with one foot and even stuck it in the wall. Tsk, tsk… with this much strength, it’s a pity she doesn’t go to a construction team to drive piles.”
His words drew a low burst of laughter from the followers behind him, who were also wearing Royal Academy training uniforms.
Lyra’s anger flared up again, her fists clenching with a cracking sound.
“Say that again?! Believe it or not, I’ll stick you into the wall just like that sword!”
“Lyra.”
Freya gently pressed her hand on Lyra’s arm, signaling her to remain calm.
There was no point in engaging in a war of words with such a person.
She took one step forward, her gaze meeting Willow’s directly. Her light purple eyes held no anger, only a condescending, icy scrutiny.
“Student Willow, a violation is a violation. I will report this matter truthfully to the Professor in charge of the Kendo class and the Academy Discipline Committee. As for your apology —”
She paused.
“It lacks all sincerity, so don’t bother. Furthermore, please go and retrieve that Wooden Sword immediately, restore the wall to its original state, or compensate the Academy for the damage at cost.”
The fake smile on Willow’s face finally couldn’t be maintained.
He hadn’t expected Freya to be so direct and give him no face at all.
Not only did she refuse his perfunctory apology, but she also wanted to report it to the Academy!
This made him feel like he had lost all face in front of his followers.
“Freya Christo Dale! Don’t be so ungrateful when I’m being polite!”
Willow’s face darkened, and he took one step forward, pointing the Wooden Sword in his hand toward the space in front of Freya.
“It was just a small accident, and you have to make such a big deal out of it? Who do you think you are? Just because you have House Dale backing you, you dare to look down on His Highness the Crown Prince, and now you even dare to provoke my House Bouquet?”
He directly dragged the family and the Crown Prince into the matter, intending to apply pressure.
Freya remained unmoved, instead lifting her chin slightly.
“Willow Bouquet, please mind your words. I am currently discussing the violation of Academy regulations with you as a student of the Central Magic Academy. This has nothing to do with families or His Highness. Or, are you admitting that your ‘slip’ was done deliberately under someone’s instructions?”
Her words were sharp, directly pointing out that Willow might be acting under someone’s orders while pulling the issue back to the level of Academy rules, leaving him in a dilemma.
Willow was momentarily speechless, his face turning red with anger.
In his embarrassment and rage, he actually swung the Wooden Sword in his hand, cleaving the air in front of Freya and bringing a gust of wind.
“Stop being so sharp-tongued! Freya, I’m telling you, don’t think you’re so great just because you have some talent! His Highness is polite to you only because he is merciful! You’d better be sensible and not do this the hard way!”
This was already a blatant threat.
Lyra could no longer hold back!
She suddenly broke free from Freya’s hand and rushed out like a bolt of red lightning!
Willow only felt a blur before his eyes, and the hand holding the sword felt light. The Wooden Sword was already in Lyra’s hand!
He didn’t even see how Lyra had snatched it away!
“The hard way?”
Lyra played with the stolen Wooden Sword, her red eyes narrowing dangerously, yet a naive and wicked smile appeared on her face.
“How about I let you taste the hard way?”
Before she finished her sentence, her wrist flicked.
The Wooden Sword turned into a blurred afterimage, carrying a shrill whistling sound as it struck Willow’s… butt!
Smack!
A crisp, loud strike that made one’s teeth ache echoed over the silent Training Ground.
“AAAAAAGH — !!!”
Willow let out a tragic scream of pain.
Like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, he clutched his butt and jumped up high, his face instantly contorting into a mess, tears nearly bursting out.
Lyra’s strike was fast, accurate, and ruthless.
Although she used a Wooden Sword, the strength and skill contained within were enough to make Willow experience what it meant to be pierced to the heart with pain, without causing actual bone damage.
“You… you dare hit me?!”
Willow gasped in pain, pointing at Lyra, filled with shock, anger, and shame.
He, the dignified heir of Viscount Bouquet, was actually spanked on the butt with a Wooden Sword by an unknown wild girl in public?!
“What’s wrong with hitting you?”
Lyra threw the Wooden Sword onto the ground and clapped her hands with a look of disgust.
“You were the one who threw things around first and even threatened my Boss. I’m just… well, performing self-defense and acting as a Good Samaritan, while helping your parents educate a rude, bratty child. No need to thank me.”
As she spoke, she even made a face at Willow.
Pffft —
Inside and outside the Training Ground, many students watching the commotion couldn’t help but laugh out loud, then quickly suppressed it.
Usually, Willow relied on his family background and his relationship with the Crown Prince to be arrogant and domineering in the Academy.
Seeing him suffer brought a secret sense of satisfaction to many.
Willow’s face turned from red to white, trembling with rage as he pointed at Lyra and Freya.
“You… you just wait! This isn’t over!”
He could no longer care about his dignity.
Clutching his burning, painful butt and supported by his bewildered followers, he limped away in a miserable and pathetic state, fleeing the Training Ground and even leaving the Wooden Sword on top of the wall.
Lyra gave a loud “Hmph” at his back, then turned around.
Her fierce expression vanished instantly, replaced by a brilliant, achievement-seeking smile as she ran to Freya’s side.
“Boss, it’s done! The fly has been chased away!”
Freya looked at Lyra’s “praise-seeking” appearance, then at Willow’s miserable retreating figure and the surrounding students who wanted to laugh but didn’t dare.
For a moment, she was caught between laughter and tears.
Lyra’s method of handling this… although simple and crude, the effect was immediate. And hitting his butt… only she would think of that.
“You…”
Freya shook her head helplessly, but there was no blame in her eyes, only a hint of warmth.
Lyra was protecting her in her own way, without hesitation, striking back at anyone who harbored ill will toward her.
“Let’s go. Weren’t we going to the cafeteria? If we don’t go now, all the good meat will be snatched up.”
Freya took Lyra’s wrist and turned to leave.
“Oh, right! Meat!”
Lyra immediately tossed Willow to the back of her mind, her eyes lighting up again.
She grabbed Freya’s hand in return and followed cheerfully.
Though Freya felt slightly uncomfortable, she didn’t pull away.
Hand in hand, the two walked away under the watchful gaze of the crowd.
The sunlight spilled over them, stretching their shadows long. The small conflict just now was like a pebble thrown into a lake; the ripples would soon dissipate.
But everyone knew that Willow Bouquet would never let this matter go, and Crown Prince Ross behind him would certainly not stop there.
—
The aroma from the Public Cafeteria wafted over faintly, and Lyra’s stomach growled at just the right time.
“Hurry, Boss! I can smell the aroma of roasted meat!”
“…I know, don’t run so fast.”
The Public Cafeteria of the Central Magic Academy was spacious and bright.
Large arched windows allowed the afternoon sunlight to enter unreservedly, illuminating the neatly arranged long wooden tables and the bustling crowd.
The aroma of food — the savory scent of roasted meat, the richness of stew, the wheat aroma of fresh bread, and the sweet scent of various desserts — mixed together, forming an atmosphere that was both reassuring and appetite-inducing.
Unsurprisingly, the entrance of Freya and Lyra became the focus once again.
Dressed in simple casual clothes, Freya’s temperament was cold and outstanding. Her long purple hair and light purple eyes were easily recognizable even in a crowd.
And standing beside her was white-haired, red-eyed Lyra, who was staring eagerly at each food window as if she would pounce at any moment, drawing even more attention.
The news of the two teaching a lesson to Willow Bouquet at the Training Ground had obviously spread as if it had wings.
The gazes cast upon them now were filled with curiosity, scrutiny, admiration, and even a hint of gloating.
Freya was already used to the surrounding gazes and walked to the self-service food area, which was relatively less crowded, without changing her expression.
Her movements were elegant and efficient, and she soon selected her lunch — a vegetable soup, a small portion of perfectly grilled silver cod with seasonal vegetables, a small plate of fruit salad, along with a steaming cup of black tea and an exquisite little cake decorated with berries.
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