"Have you heard the news?"
"What news?"
"The commoner who defeated a noble in a duel."
"What House?"
"Virellis."
"Eh... those alchemists are all weak. It's a fact now."
---
The news of the duel spread through the academy like wildfire. Before long, even the teachers knew.
Headmaster's Office...
It was a spacious room, lined with books and specimens of magical beasts on all sides. In the center stood a large desk made out of rare wood, paired with a massive chair of the same material, its surface layered in the leather of a magical beast.
The room itself held an eerie aura, all of its corners swallowed in darkness.
Aria stood before the old man, her expression tense and fearful.
She could feel the invisible gazes all around her—as if dangerous things were staring at her from all the corners.
"So... you thought letting a noble kid beat up a commoner would set an example for the rest of the commoners?" the old man asked, as he readed a file that was lying on his desk.
