Chapter 90: Rumors

Freya and Lyra stood side by side at the entrance of the canteen, discussing where to go today.

“Training Ground?”

Lyra suggested.

Freya was about to nod when she suddenly felt a gaze on her.

She turned her head.

Under the phoenix tree not far away stood a man.

Ross.

He stood there, his golden hair glaring in the sunlight.

His complexion was exactly as Anke had said—

Terrible.

The dark circles under his eyes were deeper than yesterday, his lips pressed into a straight line, making him look like he hadn’t slept all night.

When he saw Freya looking over, his lips moved.

He wanted to approach.

But as soon as he took a step, he stopped.

Because another figure walked over from not far away, blocking the path between him and Freya.

Serar.

He stood there with a grin, his ice-blue hair gently swaying in the wind.

“Good morning, Freya.”

He greeted her, then turned his head as if just noticing Ross.

“Oh, His Highness the Crown Prince is here too. What a coincidence.”

Ross’s expression darkened further.

He stared at Serar, suppressed anger churning in those blue eyes.

Serar, however, acted as if he hadn’t noticed, turning back to Freya with a full smile.

“Are you free today? I’d like to invite you and Lyra to lunch. At that place, Sweet Home, Nika said they’ve added a few new dishes that are really good.”

Lyra’s brows furrowed.

“You’re back again?”

Serar blinked.

“What do you mean ‘again’? This is a sincere invitation.”

Lyra looked at Freya.

Freya didn’t speak.

She just looked at the golden figure not far away.

Ross stood there, motionless.

His gaze crossed over Serar, landing on her.

That look was complicated—

Anger, exhaustion, and an indescribable trace of…

Pleading?

Freya withdrew her gaze.

She looked at Serar.

“Not free today.”

Serar was taken aback for a moment but quickly regained his smile.

“Then tomorrow?”

Freya didn’t answer.

She turned and walked toward the Training Ground.

Lyra quickly followed, but before leaving, she turned back to glare at Serar.

Serar stood there, smiling as he waved at them.

“I’ll ask again tomorrow!”

Ross stood there, watching the distant light-purple figure.

His fingers slowly tightened.

Clenching into a fist.

At the Training Ground, Freya stood in the center.

Lyra crouched at the edge, hugging the Monster Bestiary, her red eyes focused on her.

But today, Freya didn’t start training immediately.

She stood there, staring at the distant sky.

For a long time.

Lyra couldn’t hold back anymore.

“Boss?”

Freya snapped back to reality.

She turned to look at Lyra.

“What’s wrong?”

“You were spacing out.”

Lyra said.

“What are you thinking about?”

Freya was silent for a moment.

Then she shook her head.

“Nothing.”

She raised her hand, and silver-white Mana surged from her fingertips.

The training began.

In the evening, Freya and Lyra walked out of the Training Ground.

The sunset painted the sky orange-red, bathing the entire academy in a warm twilight glow.

On the way back to the Dormitory, they ran into someone.

Serar stood in the middle of the path, holding an exquisite Food Box.

When he saw them, his eyes lit up.

“Perfect timing! Just out of the oven, honey cakes. Nika asked me to bring you some to try!”

He walked over and shoved the Food Box into Lyra’s hands.

Lyra was stunned.

She looked down at the box, then up at Serar, then back down at the box.

“For me?”

“For both of you.”

Serar said with a smile.

“Try them. They’re really good.”

With that, he turned and walked away quickly.

After a few steps, he suddenly stopped.

Without turning around.

“Oh, right.”

His voice came from ahead.

“Watch out for the Crown Prince.

He got chewed out by the Emperor last night, so he’s in a bad mood.”

A pause.

“Some people do stupid things when they’re in a bad mood.”

With that, he continued walking, quickly disappearing into the twilight.

Lyra hugged the Food Box, looking from where Serar had vanished to Freya.

“Boss?”

Freya stared in that direction.

For a long time.

Then she looked away.

“Let’s go.”

—

In the Dormitory, Lyra couldn’t wait to open the Food Box.

Inside were six golden honey cakes, still steaming, filling the room with an enticing sweet aroma.

She picked one up and took a big bite.

“Mmm—delicious!”

Her eyes narrowed, her cheeks puffed out like a happy hamster.

Freya sat at her desk but didn’t eat.

She was thinking about Serar’s last words.

“Some people do stupid things when they’re in a bad mood.”

Ross.

What would he do?

She didn’t know.

But she did know that with Ross’s personality—

He wouldn’t let this go.

Outside the window, the night deepened.

In the distance, a lamp was lit in the Crown Prince’s Palace.

Ross sat by the window, staring at the night sky.

In his hand, he held a letter.

It had been sent by the Queen.

Only one line was written on it—

“Freya must be yours. At any cost.”

His fingers slowly tightened.

The paper crumpled in his palm.

He closed his eyes.

“At any cost…”

He murmured.

Those blue eyes slowly opened in the darkness.

Something inside them was changing.

When the morning light once again streamed through the window, Freya opened her eyes.

She had slept even lighter than the previous nights.

Ross’s gaze, Serar’s warning, and the tangled thoughts in her mind kept her in a half-awake, half-dreaming state.

She turned her head.

On the floor bed, Lyra was still asleep.

But her sleeping position had changed again today—

She was curled up into a ball, the blanket wrapped tightly around her, only half her face visible.

Her white eyelashes trembled slightly, her brows slightly furrowed, as if she was having a bad dream.

Freya watched for a while.

Then she got up, walked over, and gently tucked the corner of the blanket.

Lyra’s brow relaxed.

Freya straightened up and headed to the washroom.

The atmosphere at the academy today was subtly off.

Walking along the path to the canteen, Freya felt those gazes returning—

Not the cold distance from before, not the wariness after the Magical Beast rampage, but something more complicated, carrying a probing look.

People whispered together as she passed by.

Some shot her ambiguous glances.

And others—

Those students wearing the Light Purple Armband—

Looked at her with an indescribable hint of…

Schadenfreude?

Freya ignored it.

She went into the canteen as usual, got her meal, and headed to her usual corner as usual.

Anke was already waiting there.

But today, Anke’s expression wasn’t good.

“Freya.”

She lowered her voice, her brown eyes full of worry.

“Something’s happened.”

Freya sat down across from her.

“What happened?”

Anke looked around, made sure no one was paying attention, then leaned in.

“This morning, a rumor started spreading through the academy.”

She paused.

“They’re saying… that you and that Exchange Student Serar have a Private Affair.”

Lyra’s fork clattered onto her plate.

“What?!”

Her voice shot up, drawing looks from several nearby tables.

Anke quickly pressed her down.

“Keep your voice down!”

Lyra’s face turned bright red, little flames flickering in her red eyes.

“Who said that?! I’ll tear their mouth apart!”

Freya didn’t speak.

She just picked up her teacup and took a sip.

Anke looked at her calm demeanor and grew even more anxious.

“Freya, did you hear me? It’s everywhere now!

They’re saying you and Serar meet alone often, that you turned down the Crown Prince for him, that you…”

She paused, her voice dropping even lower.

“That you… already have…”

She didn’t finish.

But the implication was clear.

Lyra shot to her feet.

“I’m going to find that Crybaby! It has to be her!”

Anke grabbed her.

“Calm down! There’s no proof!”

“What more proof do you need? Who else could it be?!”

Freya set down her teacup.

“Sit down.”

Her voice was soft.

Lyra’s movements froze.

She looked at Freya, at those calm light-purple eyes, and slowly sat back down.

“Boss…”

Freya didn’t look at her.

She just stared out the window, her gaze landing on a leaf gleaming in the sunlight.

“Let them talk.”

Anke grew anxious.

“But—”

“The more they spread it—”

Freya interrupted her.

“The easier it will be for the person behind it to slip up.”

Anke froze.

She looked at Freya, at that almost coldly calm expression, and suddenly understood something.

“You mean… you did this on purpose?”

Freya didn’t answer.

She just picked up her teacup and took another sip.

—

After finishing their meal, the three of them walked out of the canteen.

As soon as they stepped outside, they ran into someone.

Serar stood at the bottom of the steps, his ice-blue hair glinting in the sunlight, his trademark grin on his face.

“Good morning, you three beauties!”

He waved enthusiastically.

Gazes from all around instantly converged on them.

People started whispering.

“That’s him…”

“That Exchange Student…”

“Is Freya really with him…”

The murmurs crept into their ears.

Lyra’s fists clenched.

Serar, seemingly oblivious, walked up with a smile.

“Freya, are you free today? I—”

“No.”

Freya cut him off.

Serar was startled for a moment.

But soon, he smiled again.

“What about tomorrow?”

Freya didn’t answer.

She walked past him without looking back.

Lyra glared at him before quickly following.

Anke hesitated for a moment, then followed too.

Serar stood there, watching the retreating figure.

Something flickered in those deep blue eyes.

Not hurt.

Not disappointment.

But—

Understanding.

He let out a soft laugh.

“Interesting.”

He turned and walked in another direction.

In the distance, from the shadows of the Classroom Building, Irina withdrew her gaze.

A slight smile tugged at the corner of her lips.

She had seen that entire scene.

The whispers, the probing looks, and Freya’s cold attitude.

Everything was going exactly as she had planned.

She turned to leave.

Then she froze.

Ross stood behind her.

Those blue eyes stared straight at her.

“Your Highness…”

Irina’s voice carried just the right amount of surprise and fluster.