From the moment Athena met that Northern prince and the elvish troublemaker, she knew they were both bad news. One was arrogant simply because he was a prince, while the other was an airheaded brat who believed her family’s wealth surpassed even royalty. Otherwise, how else could she explain the drama unfolding in the library?

Athena pursed her lips as she took in the scene—Luna, the elvish girl, was holding Alya’s whistle, taunting her by calling her mute. Alya wasn’t alone; Ayden and Julian were there too. She could see Julian struggling to restrain his anger while also holding Ayden back from lashing out.

As she moved closer, she spotted the Northern prince standing beside Luna. For a moment, she assumed he was there to join forces with her, but then she heard his annoyed voice.

“Yes, I hate the Arcane princess and prince— even that loyal dog of theirs,” he admitted. “But I am neither petty nor cheap like you.”

Luna laughed mockingly. “That’s rich coming from you. You and them are enemies, shouldn’t you be joining hands with me to fight against them?”

He let out a frustrated sigh. “If I want to win against her, I’ll do it the right way. I’m not like you, scheming in the shadows over petty grievances.”

That… was unexpected.

Athena had assumed, based on their earlier encounters and what she knew about his father, that the prince would be nothing more than another schemer. But this? This was a surprise. Then again… her eyes narrowed as she studied him. Maybe he’s just pretending to be honorable… Something is definitely fishy. Let’s wait and see.

She cleared her throat loudly, drawing all eyes to her.

“And who do we have here again?” she asked, slowly approaching her friends.

Ayden and Julian visibly relaxed at her presence.

“If I didn’t know any better,” she mused, tilting her head, “I’d think you were stalking us.”

Luna scoffed. “As if I’d waste my time stalking the likes of you.”

Julian’s patience snapped. “Do you even know who you’re talking to?” he said through gritted teeth.

Luna scoffed again. “And what does that have to do with me? She may be a princess, but on academy grounds, she’s just a student like the rest of us. Weren’t you the ones who said that to me before?”

Ayden was about to snap back, but Athena tsked, cutting him off.

“I assume you were the one who started this little spat,” she said coolly. “I know my brother and my best friend well enough to know they wouldn’t have initiated this. So tell me—what exactly is your problem?”

“First of all, I wasn’t even trying to mess with your friends,” Luna sneered, her voice dripping with disdain.

Athena crossed her arms. “Then how did Alya’s whistle end up in your hands?”

Luna glanced down at the whistle she had forcibly taken from Alya, her expression momentarily faltering.

Ayden was the one to answer. “Sister, Alya was sitting in a corner, quietly reading. Then she”—he shot a glare at Luna—“came out of nowhere and started belittling her, calling her names, and telling her…” Ayden trailed off, his face clouded with anger.

Athena’s gaze hardened. “Told her what?”

Ayden looked hurt, so Julian stepped in to finish. “She told Alya that her mother killed herself, that her siblings ignored her because she was born mute. Then she ripped the whistle off her neck and refused to give it back. We tried reasoning with her, but she just started insulting us—and you. That’s when he arrived,” Julian nodded towards the Northern prince, “and she tried to get him on her side. Then you know the rest. Oh! And Ayden tricked her into blowing the whistle.”

Athena’s gaze darkened, her fingers briefly twitching at her side. Mock me all you want, but attacking someone’s dead mother? That’s low, even for you.

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She inhaled sharply, pushing down the urge to snap.

For a split second, she imagined Luna choking on her own arrogance, but she exhaled sharply, forcing the thought away. People like Luna weren’t worth her rage.

It had already been a long day, and now she had to deal with Luna’s antics too.

“You may be bored and have nothing better to do than throw tantrums,” she said coolly, “but we are here to study, not entertain you. Before you call someone useless, remember that Alya completed trials for a dorm two levels higher than yours.”

A heavy silence fell over the room. The tense, almost suffocating atmosphere was broken when a sharp voice rang out.

“I know fights between students are common at the Academy,” Professor Talia announced as she entered, her commanding voice echoing through the library, “but my library is not your battleground. If you want to fight, wait until the tournament starts.”

Despite her petite frame, her presence was enough to make even the boldest students flinch.

“Until then,” she continued, “I suggest you don’t cause trouble. It may not end well for any of you. Now, disperse and get back to your studies.”

With that, the gathered crowd quickly scattered.

Luna shot them one last glare before tossing the whistle carelessly onto the ground and storming off with her cronies.

The Northern prince, who had remained silent throughout the encounter, rolled his eyes at Luna’s retreating figure before glancing back at Athena with his usual disdain.

Athena studied him closely, tilting her head. “You hate us, yet you refuse to align with Luna? Interesting…”

He met her gaze, unimpressed. “I said I wanted to win fairly. That doesn’t mean I want to be your friend.”

“Of course not.” Athena smiled faintly. “You wouldn’t dare.”

Without another word, he turned and left.

Now, only Athena, Alya, Ayden, and Julian remained.

Ayden was the first to break the silence. “You know, the moment I saw that whistle, I knew who she was.” He turned to Alya with a bright smile. “It’s good to see you again, little birdie.”

Julian grinned. “Yep, it’s been a long time.”

Athena picked up the whistle from the floor, dusted it off, and handed it back to Alya. “Here. Keep this with you always.”

Alya’s eyes practically glowed with joy. “You three remember me?” she signed eagerly.

The three of them signed back in unison. Yes.

With that, they settled down, catching up on everything that had happened in their lives since their last meeting.

As they talked, they wandered onto an unfamiliar path bustling with students carrying various items.

Ayden’s curiosity was immediately piqued. “Sister, where did they get all that?”

Julian scanned the surroundings. “Looks like they bought them from somewhere, but I thought we weren’t allowed to leave the academy unless authorized by a professor or in case of a family emergency.”

Athena shrugged as if she had no idea.

Alya, who had been quietly observing their hesitation, rolled her eyes and stepped ahead of them. After a few steps, she stopped, turned around, and gestured for them to follow.

Without hesitation, they trailed after her, noticing how confidently she navigated the path. She moved swiftly, clearly familiar with the route. When they reached the end, a sprawling market came into view.

“Wow!” Ayden and Julian exclaimed in unison, their jaws practically on the floor.

Alya turned to face them, dramatically bowing before gesturing grandly. “Welcome to the Circle Market.”

Her hands moved with excited gestures as she explained, “This is where students can sell anything they want. There are food stalls, tea shops, fruit vendors, and so much more. You can get anything here by exchanging credits.”

Athena’s mind flashed back to something her father had once mentioned. The Circle Market was well-known among the students. Unlike those who took on missions to earn credits, the students running these stalls preferred a more stable way to earn. They gathered resources from within the academy grounds or from nearby safe zones to sell their goods.

The scent of sizzling meat filled the air, mingling with the crisp aroma of freshly brewed tea. Vendors called out their wares, their voices blending into a vibrant hum of bartering and laughter. Exotic fruits glistened under the lantern lights, and a stall keeper expertly flipped skewers over an open flame.

It was a completely different side of the academy—one she hadn’t expected to see.

Meanwhile, the Northern prince, who had left the library with his entourage, walked through a long corridor, his pace gradually slowing as he became lost in thought. While his goons moved ahead, he lagged behind, deep in contemplation.

His steps slowed as a strange prickle ran down his spine. Why does it feel like I’m being watched?

His instincts screamed at him to turn around—too late.

Suddenly, two hands shot out from the shadows and yanked him into the darkness.

A surge of panic shot through him, his blood running cold. Before he could react—before he could even scream—a firm hand clamped over his mouth, muffling any sound. He struggled, but the grip was relentless. The unseen assailant dragged him deeper into the darkness with alarming force.