The standoff is absolute. On the balcony, Alex and Vorne glare at one another, while above them, at the window, Davina watches the scene, breathless.
Alex draws his dagger, its tip gleaming under the harsh light, and fixes his gaze on his opponent.
"Honestly, you disgust me. I thought I'd stumbled onto a political conspiracy, but this is far worse. I know you have power, but nothing excuses what you've done. If you wanted to eliminate Davina, it's simply because she discovered your secret by accident. You wanted to silence her at any cost… Isn't that a bit extreme?"
Vorne shoots him a dark, contemptuous look.
"You talk far too much for someone who claims he wants to take me down."
"That's true, sorry," Alex replies, briefly averting his eyes. "But what you did… no matter how hard I try to stay indifferent, it makes me sick."
A glacial smile forms on his lips as he concludes:
"So don't blame me if I'm not gentle with you."
Their gazes collide, and the assault begins. Vorne cloaks himself in an overwhelming aura of mana, while Alex relies solely on steel and reflexes. In a flurry of lightning-fast exchanges, Alex's dagger is knocked from his hand and sent plummeting off the balcony. Vorne immediately takes advantage, unleashing a barrage of punches with brutal force. Alex retreats, blocks, deflects, until he finds himself backed against the wall.
Believing he sees his opening, Vorne throws a devastating straight punch. At the last second, Alex pivots. Vorne's fist crashes into the wall, carving a wide crack into the stone.
"The last time, I underestimated you," Vorne growls as he turns around. "This time, I'm going all out to make sure I crush you!"
He doesn't even have time to finish his sentence before a fist slams into his jaw. The impact makes him stagger.
"Sorry, but now you're the one talking too much," Alex says. "I'd rather finish this quickly."
Vorne, his vision blurred, stumbles. How did he strike so fast? I had the advantage just moments ago… He meets Alex's gaze, and the truth hits him. If he was retreating, it wasn't weakness… he was waiting for an opening. But who is this guy?
Suddenly, an incantation rings out:
"Combustion!"
A column of fire erupts, engulfing Vorne in a controlled explosion. Alex leaps back to avoid the flames and looks down.
"Are you trying to kill me or what, Ella?"
"It was reflex!" the professor shouts from below. "I had to do something!"
Alex frowns as he sees a shadow fleeing through the smoke.
"Great, he escaped!"
"Don't worry," Ella replies. "I used that spell because I knew he would survive and run. It's a strategy."
Alex rolls his eyes and sighs.
A few hours later, outside the headmaster's office, the atmosphere is tense. Alex waits, sitting on a bench with his arms crossed. Finally, Davina, Laeticia, and Ella step out of the meeting.
"So, what's the verdict?" Alex asks as he stands.
"They understand the seriousness of the matter," Ella explains. "But no decision will be made until we find him."
"In that case, I'll handle it," Alex says firmly.
He meets Laeticia's gaze, her face marked by shame, and walks away without another word.
Meanwhile, hidden in the woods surrounding the academy, Vorne seethes with rage. His shirt is burned, and his body aches.
That second-rate mage… How can someone like her be allowed to teach here? She held back, I'm sure of it. I'm exposed now. I won't get out of this unscathed. I have to risk everything.
Later, in the cafeteria, Laeticia finishes telling her story to Alex.
"I met Vorne by chance when I was assigned to work in his apartments. He asked for my name… I didn't realize at the time that his intentions were twisted. I thought he was just an ordinary young noble."
"You can never really know what's hiding behind a face," Alex replies.
He stands, his gaze dark. Humans are the most despicable beings on earth. We create rules only to be the first to break them. That's the downside of intelligence: it carries the seeds of evil within it.
"You'll probably be expelled, Laeticia," he says in a cold but honest tone. "It's unfair, but that's how it is. Still, don't worry—I'm going to teach Vorne a proper lesson."
As he leaves, he runs into Ella.
"You look really upset, Alex. It's the first time I've seen you like this."
"I have my reasons. I can't stand seeing women suffer. I need to settle this."
Ella watches him walk away and sighs.
The academy is a nest where certain nobles indulge their vilest desires… That's why I hate this place.
Night falls over the academy. In her room, Violetta finishes her prayer in her nightgown. She slips under her covers, her mind elsewhere.
What happened today was horrible. If my father learned that a student behaved like that, he would shut the school down… Thank goodness Alex was there. He's kind of a hero, deep down. Hehe!
She smiles, about to fall asleep, when movement catches her eye. The curtains on her balcony stir. Two azure glows pierce the darkness. A black silhouette, sword in hand, advances toward her.
Violetta is paralyzed with terror. Suddenly, the balcony window shatters. A heavy piece of wood flies across the room and violently strikes the intruder's head, pinning him to the ground.
Alex appears on the balcony, calm, dominating the scene.
"I won my bet."
He steps into the room and looks down at the figure on the floor.
"Don't you think so, Vorne?"
END OF CHAPTER
NEXT CHAPTER: Royal Academy, Act 1 — Finale