(Third Person POV)
In the highest tower of the Class S Dormitory reserved exclusively for the Royal Family, opulence was not merely a matter of decoration. Here, opulence was a statement of absolute power.
The floor of the room was paved with black marble polished so smoothly it reflected shadows like a dark mirror. The walls were adorned with red silk tapestries embroidered with gold threads, depicting the three-hundred-year history of the Lion Kingdom's conquests. The crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling did not utilize fire or ordinary magic, but rather an Eternal Light Stone that emitted a cold, stable, and everlasting white glow.
Yet, despite all that magnificent luxury, the room felt as cold as a prison.
Prince Albert Hall sat in a high-backed chair facing a massive window. Out there, the panoramic view of the entire academy stretched wide beneath his feet, seemingly affirming his position as a future ruler watching over his subjects.
He sipped his black tea with minimal movement. There was no sound, no trembling. His face was flat and devoid of emotion, like a perfectly sculpted marble statue completely lacking warmth.
In the corner of the room, sitting on a small chair that looked far too simple for this place, was Diana. The blonde-haired girl kept her head bowed deeply. The quill pen in her hand moved hesitantly over an old diary. She looked exactly like a small bird trapped inside a giant golden cage.
"Analysis," Albert commanded briefly. His voice was not loud, but it shattered the silence of the room with heavy authority.
Before Albert stood a bespectacled young man in a flawlessly neat Class S uniform. His black hair was combed sharply to the side, and his eyes radiated a keen intelligence filled with cunning calculation.
Silas Rock. Son of Marquis Rock, the chief strategist of the Royalist Faction, and Albert's right hand in the dirty matters of politics.
Silas bowed respectfully, then opened the leather notebook in his hand.
"The situation is developing according to the worst yet controllable probabilities, Your Highness," Silas began. His voice was calm and analytical, as if he were discussing the weather and not the fate of two Duke heirs.
Silas walked approaching the kingdom's political map spread across the strategy table. He placed a black and a white chess piece over the Benzzi territory.
"Let us dissect the scenarios," said Silas while pointing at the black piece. "Scenario A, Karl Benzzi wins the duel in two weeks. If Karl wins, he will reconsolidate the Military Faction which had briefly fractured. Karl is an aggressive, expansionist, and highly emotional type of leader. He is heavily supported by old generals who thirst for war."
Silas slid the black piece toward the kingdom's central territory.
"If Karl takes power, the Military Faction will become solid and dangerous. Our intelligence indicates they possess a high tendency for rebellion. Karl does not respect the throne. He only respects pure strength. The risk of civil war within the next five years reaches seventy percent."
Albert did not react. He merely set his cup down slowly. "Continue."
"Scenario B," Silas pointed to the white piece symbolizing Kars. "Kars Benzzi wins. This is an anomaly. Kars is considered weak by the old generals. If he wins, the Military Faction will lose a strong figure. They will splinter, becoming too busy with internal conflicts because they refuse to submit to The Spare."
Silas smiled thinly. A very cold smile.
"The weak Kars will seek protection. And he has already found it within the Reform Faction, otherwise known as the Rhyms Family. An alliance between Benzzi and Rhyms will be forged."
"That is dangerous," commented Albert flatly. "If the Military and the Reformists unite, they can heavily pressure the Royalists in the Noble Council."
"Theoretically, yes," corrected Silas. "But that alliance is fragile. Rhyms and Benzzi were sworn blood enemies ten years ago. Kars is only using Rhyms to survive, and Rhyms is using Kars as a puppet. Their relationship is based on momentary need, not loyalty. They will constantly suspect each other."
Silas closed his book.
"In conclusion, Your Highness, Kars's victory is the most advantageous outcome for us. The Military Faction will weaken due to the loss of a charismatic leader. The Reform Faction will be too busy managing their new puppet. The Royalists can sit comfortably at the top, maintaining balance while letting them claw at each other down below."
Albert nodded slowly. The analysis was sharp and highly accurate.
"However..." Silas hesitated for a moment. His eyes gleamed with a much darker ambition. "I have an alternative proposal, Your Highness."
"Speak."
"Why did we allow that duel to happen under Selena Rhyms's supervision?" asked Silas. "Why did we agree to the Academy Arena as the stage? That is a neutral territory heavily favoring Rhyms."
Silas took a step forward. His voice lowered into a conspiratorial whisper.
"If Your Highness pulls that duel to the Royal Palace Arena under the pretext of Maintaining High Noble Honor, we can control the arena entirely. We can manipulate the outcome."
Silas picked up both the black and white pieces, then dropped them off the edge of the table.
"Imagine this scenario. Kars and Karl die simultaneously in a tragic duel. A highly regrettable accident."
Silas's eyes sparkled.
"If both heirs die, the Benzzi Main Bloodline is severed. The Military Faction will be completely destroyed without a successor. Their strength will be scattered to the wind. The Reform Faction will gain no military ally. And the Royalists, we can appoint a temporary governor for the Benzzi territory. We can take over their military directly."
Silas looked at Albert expectantly. "That is absolute victory, Your Highness. A single move to eliminate the threat of rebellion forever."
The room fell dead silent.
Diana, who had kept her head down all this time, stopped writing. Her hands trembled. She dared not lift her face, but fear radiated clearly from her stiff body. She was horrified to hear how easily human lives were toyed with like wooden chess pieces.
Albert stared at Silas for a long time. His gaze was utterly unreadable.
Slowly, Albert stood up. He walked toward Silas.
"You are smart, Rock," said Albert.
Silas smiled proudly.
"But you are greedy," continued Albert coldly.
Silas's smile vanished instantly.
Albert walked past him, heading straight toward the kingdom map on the wall.
"You think like an assassin, not like a King," said Albert with his back turned to Silas. "If Benzzi is completely destroyed, the balance will be broken. The Reform Faction led by Rhyms will become the only major power left besides us. Without Benzzi acting as a counterweight, Rhyms will monopolize the economy and technology. They will become a singular threat that is far too powerful."
Albert turned around, glaring at Silas sharply.
"I need Benzzi to continue existing. I need them to keep barking at Rhyms, but with a leash securely held in our hands. Kars Benzzi is that leash. He is strong enough to lead, but weak enough to be controlled."
"And regarding the duel location..." Albert snorted. "Letting Selena host it was a bone I threw her. It makes her feel respected. If I pulled the duel to the Palace, Selena would feel threatened and might resort to drastic measures."
Silas bowed his head. Cold sweat dripped down his temples. "Forgive my shallowness, Your Highness. I was too focused on enemy elimination."
"Learn to see the entire forest, not just one rotten tree," reprimanded Albert.
Suddenly, a small voice sounded from the corner of the room.
"Your Highness..."
It was Diana. The girl finally gathered the courage to lift her face. Her eyes were wet, filled with confusion and an innocent fear that contrasted sharply with the cruelty of this room.
"Why..." her voice trembled. "Why did Your Highness stop Headmistress Selena earlier? Why didn't Your Highness just let them fight it out at the dormitory? If they hate each other so much, why not let them finish it right then and there?"
Albert looked at Diana. His face softened slightly, yet remained rigid. He knew Diana did not understand politics. Diana was an outsider forcibly dragged into this shark pool.
"Diana," answered Albert patiently. "If I had allowed them to fight in the dormitory earlier, it would have been nothing more than a student brawl. No law would bind the outcome. The loser would hold a grudge, and the winner would grow arrogant."
Albert walked closer to the window again, looking toward the Benzzi dormitory in the distance.
"But more dangerously, if this conflict is not resolved now, while they are still students, that grudge will be carried over until they graduate."
Albert clenched his hands behind his back.
"When they graduate, they are no longer students. They are Dukes. They will possess armies, territories, and vast wealth. If Kars and Karl wage war after graduating, it is no longer a duel. It is a civil war. Thousands of commoners will die. Villages will burn. The kingdom's economy will collapse."
Albert turned his head to Diana.
"That is exactly why I authorized this duel now. It is far better for one person to die in a school arena today than for ten thousand people to die on a battlefield five years from now."
Diana fell silent, digesting those heavy words. Her face was pale. She realized the crushing weight of the crown Albert had not even worn yet. The decisions made were not about right or wrong, but about minimizing the body count.
Albert returned his gaze to Silas. His face switched back to commander mode.
"Silas."
"Yes, Your Highness?"
"Karl Benzzi will definitely play dirty. He is desperate and heavily supported by the cunning Elian Delphine."
Albert's eyes flashed.
"Stop them."
Silas jolted. "Does Your Highness mean we assist Kars?"
"Yes. Monitor Karl's movements," ordered Albert. "If he attempts to sabotage Kars beyond tolerable limits, cut off his hands. Assist Kars from the shadows. But remember..."
Albert glared piercingly.
"...do not leave any tracks. The hands of the Royalists must remain perfectly clean and neutral in the eyes of the public. We are the referees, not the players. Understood?"
Silas bowed deeply. The sly smirk returned to his face. He greatly enjoyed this kind of task. "I understand, Your Highness. I will ensure justice is served our way."
"Dismissed."
Silas stepped back and disappeared behind the door, leaving Albert and Diana in a gripping, luxurious silence.
(In the Headmistress's Office)
Meanwhile, in the central tower of the academy, a vastly different atmosphere was unfolding.
The room was filled with thick herbal cigarette smoke and the aroma of bitter, cold coffee. There was no rigid luxury here; there was only the collective exhaustion of adults who were utterly sick of teenage drama.
Selena Rhyms sat in her grand chair, massaging her violently throbbing temples. Before her, three senior instructors sat in poses depicting pure despair.
Professor Samuel, the oldest among them, let out a long sigh. His breath sounded like a sad, leaking tire.
"I want to retire," complained Samuel while staring at the ceiling. "Truly, Selena. I submitted my retirement letter three years ago. Why did you keep me here just to witness this?"
"Hold on a little longer, Sam," answered Selena weakly. "I desperately need your wisdom."
"Wisdom?" Samuel snorted. "No amount of wisdom can handle this cohort! It is only the second semester! Semester two, by the Gods! And we have already faced a Silver Wolf, gas terrorism in the mines, a court scandal, and now the Benzzi Civil War?!"
Samuel threw his hands up in frustration.
"In the old days, the biggest problem with first-year students was merely getting caught smoking behind the building or miscasting a levitation spell! These kids, they are trying to kill each other with military efficiency!"
Instructor Karim, sitting leaning against the wall while cleaning his sword, chuckled softly. An incredibly tired laugh.
"This is no coincidence, Sam," said Karim. "You have noticed it too, haven't you? The composition of this cohort."
Karim pointed toward the student roster lying on Selena's desk.
"Normally, in a single cohort, we only accept one or two children from High Nobility like Dukes or Marquis. The rest are Barons, Viscounts, or talented commoners. That maintains the balance."
Karim's eyes sharpened.
"But this year? Look at the list."
"Prince Albert of the Royal Hall Family." "Princess Elena of Duke Rhyms." "The Twins Karl and Kars of Duke Benzzi." "Elian of Duke Delphine." "Rose of Marquis Carlos." "Sophia of Marquis Lunar." "Silas of Marquis Rock."
Karim shook his head.
"All the heirs of the Four True Nobles and the Royal Family have gathered in the exact same cohort. This has never happened in the entire history of the Academy. This situation is a political time bomb just waiting for a trigger."
"And do not forget the wildest variable of them all," interjected Instructor Brook, who was sitting right on top of Selena's desk. He was the only person daring enough to do that. He bit into an apple with a loud, crisp crunch.
Brook grinned widely. His eyes sparkled playfully.
"In the middle of that pool of noble sharks, there is one commoner catfish muddying the waters."
Everyone in the room fell completely silent. One specific name popped into their minds simultaneously.
Arin.
"That kid..." Samuel massaged his forehead again. "He possesses no mana. He is a commoner. Logically speaking, he should have been expelled or died in the very first week."
"But the reality?" Brook laughed loudly. "Arin is the one who triggered the conflict between Karl and Kars. He is the one who allied with Elena. And he is also the reason Prince Albert had to intervene in court."
"He is a catalyst," mumbled Selena. Her eyes stared blankly out the window, looking toward the student dormitories in the distance.
"Without Arin, those young nobles might just trade cold remarks at tea parties. But Arin, his very existence defying fate provoked them. He forced them to bare their fangs."
Selena took a long, deep breath, then straightened her posture. Her Headmistress aura returned in full force.
"Listen, everyone," stated Selena firmly. "For the next three years, we will not be able to sleep soundly."
She looked at her instructors one by one.
"This cohort, they will either become the Golden Generation that leads the Lion Kingdom into a new era of glory, or they will become the Cursed Generation that burns this kingdom to the ground in a bloody civil war."
Selena picked up her official stamp, then pressed it forcefully onto the Knight's Duel approval document.
BAM!
"Our duty is only one. Ensure they do not burn this school down before they graduate. Tighten surveillance. Especially on Arin. Because wherever that kid is, disaster and profit are sure to follow."
Karim and Brook looked at each other, then smirked thinly.
"Ready to execute, Your Excellency," answered Karim.
Outside the window, black clouds began to gather over the academy, as if nature itself knew that a massive storm was preparing to strike. And right in the center of that brewing storm, the young lions were sharpening their claws, preparing to tear each other apart for the sake of a crown.