Monday.

  “What’s with the gloomy face, Nora?”

  The morning began in the academy cafeteria. Nora had been sulking since dawn. Though they sat together, she barely touched the food on her plate.

  “Mr.Fury… I’ve disappointed you…”

  “It’s over now. Learn from it and move on.”

  Nora looked up at him with eyes that seemed ready to cry—she didn’t actually look like it, but he could feel it.

  “Look at this instead. I got a new toy.”

  Fury took a film camera from his bag and set it on the table. Nora only rolled her eyes. When the princess wasn’t amused, it was tough for him too.

  “From now on, I’ll use this to record my journey.”

  “…Good for you…”

  “Come on, Nora. Don’t brood over something so small.”

  “You’re just saying that to make me feel better…”

  “What I saw was both of you in a total mess. Besides, Rafinya took the after-effects even worse—I saw it myself.”

  He said, “A duel in an arena can’t compare to a real battlefield. If it were me, I’d have ordered my men to swarm her already.”

  “You’re right…” Nora sighed.

  Just then, they heard the sound of leather shoes.

  They thought it was Zeedee, but from the way Nora’s eyes widened and fixed on something behind him… Fury turned to look—and he was right.

  It wasn’t Zeedee.

  It was Rafinya.

  “!”

  She was back to classes. The fever had subsided, though her body was still radiating heat. She carried her breakfast tray.

  Straight toward them.

  She set it down on their table—without asking anyone.

  And sat down as if nothing were unusual.

  Fury and Nora just stared, frozen.

  Thump.

  She laid her combat gloves beside her, sitting on the same side as Fury, directly across from Nora. Her eyes met his as she tore her bread roll into small pieces.

  “What are you staring at?”

  Fury blinked, lifting his hand a little as if to say, what?

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  “You’re in the same group with me now. Why shouldn’t I sit here?”

  “But we haven’t started the project yet.”

  “So what?”

  “Huh?”

  At that moment, students at the next tables began to glance over.

  The three prodigies of the academy—sitting together.

  What were they talking about?

  Were they forming some kind of secret society?

  Rafinya picked up a small piece of bread, tried to put it in her mouth—but immediately stopped, grimaced in pain, and cursed.

  “Damn it…”

  If he remembered correctly, her jaw was still injured from when Nora’s ice hammer had slammed into her face.

  Rafinya tried opening her mouth smaller this time and pushed the bread into another spot so she could chew gently.

  “Didn’t healing magic fix your jawbone, Rafinya?”

  “It’s much better than the first day.”

  “This is better?”

  Fury felt a chill.

  Good grief… that means on the first day she couldn’t even open her mouth, huh?

  She didn’t look like a winner at all. Why did the victor look half-dead while the loser looked…

  He turned to Nora—99.95% recovered.

  “Maybe healing magic isn’t a Luminus specialty… or maybe Nora’s ice was just too strong?”

  Fury asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

  “Still see Snowhaven as savages?”

  “…I admit I underestimated them.”

  Rafinya tore off another bit of bread and popped it into her mouth while glaring straight at Nora.

  “But they’re still savages nonetheless.”

  The phrasing was polite, but the meaning wasn’t lost on anyone.

  It was clear now that Rafinya had begun to respect Snowhaven.

  That’s the way of warriors—why waste words when you can fight and understand through fists instead?

  “What’s your definition of ‘savage,’ exactly?” Fury asked.

  “I’ve never seen Nora do anything barbaric. Don’t throw that word around carelessly. Or maybe…” his voice dropped slightly, “you’re just racist.”

  “I only respect those with skill.”

  “Then is Nora strong?”

  Rafinya didn’t answer.

  She could have dismissed her mockingly. But she didn’t—and Nora noticed that. If it wasn’t out of newfound respect, it was at least because she didn’t want to offend Fury.

  “But I don’t know… The judges were almost all from Luminus, weren’t they?”

  “What?”

  Fury said it casually—enough that Rafinya’s ears perked up.

  “What do you mean by that? Are you saying you doubt the result?”

  “I don’t know. The judges were all from Luminus—Luminus people who think Snowhaven are savages, like you.”

  “What are you implying? That the judging was unfair?”

  Mr.Fury…

  Nora, who had been silent all this time, realized it immediately.

  Fury was twisting the narrative, flipping the script to save her dignity—using his own authority and reputation.

  Once their conversation leaked out to the eavesdroppers nearby, the story would spread on its own:

  That Nora’s one-point loss might’ve been because the judges were mostly from Luminus.

  If Rafinya—herself from Luminus—had lost, that would’ve been embarrassing, right?

  Fury had only tied with her—and he’d thrown Rafinya off the stage.

  So maybe… maybe it really had been biased?

  “Are you saying we Luminus have no honor?!”

  “I’m saying the opposite. You value honor so much you’d do anything for it.”

  The louder Rafinya’s voice grew, the better. The more heated she got, the more ears turned toward them.

  She reached to grab Fury—but snap!

  He caught her wrist mid-air. A sting shot through her arm.

  Now Nora saw it clearly: the shift in narrative. Fury had redirected everyone’s focus away from blaming her… and toward questioning the fairness of the faculty.

  “You dare say that when Lady Casca herself supports this academy?! How could you!”

  “You’re missing my point. I’m talking about the professors here.”

  Gasps rippled through the entire cafeteria.

  If you looked around, you’d see it—absolute silence. Even the maids, even the cooks, froze in place.

  “Do you even realize what you’re saying?”

  “I do. So what if they’re professors? That doesn’t make them right about everything.”

  Fury said, “If they want to clear my doubts, then show me the scoring criteria. I’ll compare it with past matches and see if it makes sense.”

  He wiped his mouth, cleaning off milk from his drink.

  “But as long as the judging stays behind closed doors… well, it’s hard to convince me, you know?”

  “That’s not true! Grok lost to you on points, and he’s from Luminus too!”

  “But Grok isn’t a Saint Pauli, is he?”

  Nora was speechless—again and again.

  Mr.Fury… you’re incredible…

  “The kind of teacher that makes sense to me,” Fury continued calmly, “is one who teaches students to question their teaching—not some washed-up soldier who got discharged.”

  “Dan!”

  “Come on, Nora. Let’s go to class.”

  “...Alright.”

  Nora and Fury lifted their trays. Rafinya hurriedly stuffed bread and milk into her mouth and scrambled after them.

  “Dan! You’re sitting with me in the next class!”

  “That’s not related. We’re partners for the project, but I can sit wherever I want.”

  “Dan! That’s an order! You’re in the same group as me!”

  “Being in the same group doesn’t mean I have to be glued to you.”

  “This is an order!”

  “And who the hell are you to order me around?!”