"This fucking commoner... do you even understand what nobility is about?"

Felix’s voice came out sharp and heated as he leaned slightly forward, his eyes locked onto Nate with clear irritation, but Nate didn’t move even a little. He stood there with the same calm posture, shoulders relaxed, gaze steady, as if Felix’s anger had not reached him at all.

"He’s not wrong though."

Bale spoke from the side, his tone firm as he looked directly at Felix, and for a brief moment the air shifted.

Keith, who had been sitting quietly to the right with one leg stretched and the other bent, slowly sipping from a cold cup of orange juice, almost spat everything out. He froze midway, then swallowed hard, lowering the cup while shaking his head.

"Bale... you idiot..."

He muttered under his breath, already knowing what was about to happen.

Felix’s gaze snapped toward Bale, his eyes narrowing as he looked down on him like he was something beneath his notice.

"I’ve told you before, Bale... when adults are talking, keep your mouth shut."

His voice dropped lower this time, colder, carrying more weight.

"I don’t see anything about you that makes you an adult, Sir Felix."

Fay stepped forward slightly, her hand gripping Bale’s arm as she spoke without hesitation, her eyes fixed on Felix.

"Sir Bale is more of an adult than you."

"This bitch is talking."

Page laughed lightly from her seat, spinning the glass cup in her hand as if the entire situation was entertainment.

"And I don’t even understand why you all are reacting like this, Lady Priscilla."

She turned her head, looking at Priscilla with a raised brow.

"It’s not like you care about us killing the orphans. You were clearly close to killing your opponent yourself, and now you’re acting like a saint."

Her tone carried mockery, slow and deliberate.

"Page, are you blind or just stupid?"

Priscilla replied instantly, her arms folding across her chest as she leaned slightly against the table, her eyes sharp.

"Your leader tore a girl’s clothes in front of everyone. Where exactly is the elegance or sense in that?" 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

"Is that even a girl?"

Felix laughed, tilting his head back slightly, the sound loud and unrestrained.

"She was ugly as hell."

One of his group members added to it, and the laughter spread quickly, growing louder, filling the café space in a way that made the surrounding tables fall silent.

The air tightened as the laughter echoed, and then...

"Do you think this is a joke?"

Veda’s voice cut through everything.

It wasn’t loud, but it was heavy.

Cognis surged out from his body without restraint, pressing down on the space around them like invisible weight, making the air feel thicker, harder to breathe.

"You are seriously testing my patience, Felix."

He stepped forward slowly, each movement controlled, but his eyes were no longer calm.

"AND WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?"

Felix stepped forward as well, closing the distance between them, releasing his own Cognis to meet Veda’s pressure head-on.

The clash was immediate.

People around them stiffened, some instinctively stepped back, while others who were able to handle the pressure stood perfectly fine.

"Do you think I’m scared of you? Tell me, Veda... what exactly makes you think you scare me?"

Felix shouted, his face twisting into a confident grin that didn’t match the tension in his body.

"You’ve been chasing me since this trial began, and yet I’m still standing here alive. What have you actually done?"

He waved his finger dismissively.

"You had chances... multiple chances. The second trial, the fourth trial and what did you do?"

He leaned closer.

"You fumbled." A smirk spread across his face. "Again, and again."

He chuckled softly.

"And we both know why."

He glanced back at his group.

"You’re scared. Scared of the consequences because you know my mother won’t stay silent, and you know you can’t face her."

His voice lowered, sharper now.

"You don’t have that kind of strength to defend yourself against her, not to even talk about protecting your own people."

He leaned even closer, his words dropping slowly, deliberately...

"Just like what happened to your..."

"FELIX!"

Boom!

Veda’s hand slammed into the table beside him.

The table cracked instantly, splitting under the force as the sound echoed through the café.

"YOU DON’T SCARE ME!"

Felix roared back, pushing more Cognis out, matching him fully now.

"Veda, stop!"

Nickolas stepped forward quickly, but the moment his eyes met Veda’s...

He froze.

That look, that intent.

It wasn’t anger anymore; it was something heavier.

Something dangerous.

"Must be nice... being a mummy’s boy."

Two voices overlapped.

One bored and one flat.

The tension building in the cafe snapped suddenly.

"I remember this place is a cafeteria."

Vera stepped forward; her head tilted slightly as she looked around with clear disinterest.

"Not a shouting arena."

She sighed, her gaze passing over the broken table, then briefly landing on Veda before moving away like it didn’t matter.

Beside her, Ezra stood quietly, holding a tray of food, his posture relaxed as if he had just walked into something mildly inconvenient.

He glanced around.

"Wait..." His voice was calm. "Why is everyone quiet now?"

There was no mockery in his tone, just genuine confusion.

Was it because of Vera... or something else?

Ezra’s thoughts paused for a brief second as his gaze shifted slowly, and then landed on Felix. The veins at the side of Felix’s head were bulging hard, twitching slightly under his skin like they could burst at any moment, and that sight alone made Ezra’s lips move just a little.

A quiet breath escaped him as he laughed under his breath.

Then...

"Pfft... mummy’s boy..."

Keith, who had been sitting low-key at the far-right side near the edge of the commotion, suddenly broke. He bent forward sharply, his hand flying straight to his stomach as laughter burst out of him like something he had been forcing down for too long.

"I can’t... I seriously can’t do this..."

His shoulders shook hard as he laughed, his voice breaking between breaths.

"I’m sorry... I really tried to hold it in, but... mummy’s boy..."

His laughter rose louder, no longer controlled, and it echoed across the space.

That was all it took.

Immediately, Bale burst out laughing too, slapping his knee as Fay beside him covered her mouth but still failed to hold it in, her shoulders trembling. Then, just like a chain reaction, like something spreading through the air itself, laughter began to erupt from everywhere.

People from Bale’s group, Henry and his members, Priscilla, Nate, and those around them, Veda’s group, and even some from other tables nearby.

The sound overlapped, growing louder and louder, filling the café with a kind of energy that completely crushed the earlier tension.

"Cough... cough..."

Gareth covered his mouth, turning his head slightly as he tried to keep his composure, while Page tilted her face away, her shoulders moving slightly as she held her breath, clearly on the edge of laughing herself.

Felix noticed.

He saw it.

He saw the way some of his own group members were biting their lips, turning their heads, trying...and failing...to hold it in.

That was when the embarrassment truly hit him.

It wasn’t just the words anymore.

It was the fact that even his own side couldn’t stand firmly with him.

His face tightened.

The heat rose fast.

So, fast it almost felt like his skin was burning.

"How stupid do you have to be... to brag about your mother’s influence like it’s your own power?"

Nate’s voice came in calmly, but the words landed like another strike.

"Is that even surprising?" Tracy scoffed, folding her arms. "It’s Sir Felix we’re talking about."

More laughter followed.

"It’s not funny though."

Freed tried to step in, his expression serious, but the moment he said it...

The laughter only got worse.

Veda, who had been standing there, caught between anger and restraint just moments ago, suddenly let out a low laugh. It started small, almost like he was thinking about the words Vera and Ezra had said, replaying them in his head again and again, until he couldn’t hold it anymore.

He laughed.

Not loudly, but freely.

Felix stood there, his teeth clenched tightly, his fists curling so hard that his knuckles turned pale.

"Felix, your confidence is really amazing, honestly."

Henry pointed at him, laughing so hard that tears had already formed at the corner of his eyes.

"The only reason you’re still alive is because of your mother. I mean, come on... I thought you carried yourself like a king."

He wiped his tears, still laughing.

"I don’t remember any king who still feeds from his mother’s hmm..."

"BREAST SUCKER!"

Keith slammed his hand repeatedly on the table, his whole body shaking as he laughed uncontrollably.

"This is too much... I can’t..."

He inhaled deeply, then exhaled, trying to calm himself, but it didn’t work.

"Oh shit, my energy is draining..."

He slid right off his chair, landing flat on the ground, still laughing.

"Bale... my handsome friend..."

He raised both hands up weakly like a child.

"Please carry me back to my room..."

The laughter continued for a few more moments before it slowly began to settle, the sound fading into scattered chuckles and heavy breaths.

"Felix."

Veda’s voice came again, but this time it was steady and calm.

He looked at Felix directly.

"You’re right." He exhaled lightly. "I’ve held back because of your mother."

A faint smile appeared on his face.

"But let me remind you of something..."

His gaze sharpened slightly.

"There is only so much she can do for you now."

He tilted his head just a little.

"And that won’t last forever."

His smile remained.

"When I become the heir... when I become the strongest Ashenlocke..."

A brief pause.

"I wonder how you’ll survive."

He turned around after saying that, walking away without waiting for a response.

Felix stood there for a moment.

Silent.

Then he turned sharply and walked off, his steps heavy, his expression dark. He didn’t even bother calling his group, but they followed him quickly anyway.

Gareth paused for a second, then waved lightly at the others with a gentle smile before leaving as well.

Page remained where she was, still seated, casually sipping from her drink like nothing had happened, her posture relaxed.

"Who said you will become the heir?"

Vera’s voice cut in flat.

Veda froze slightly.

"Ve... I mean... Big-sis..."

He scratched the back of his head, a nervous smile forming on his face as he turned toward her.

"You nearly lost your temper and played right into his hands, little brother."

Vera narrowed her eyes slightly as she spoke, her tone calm but carrying a quiet weight that pressed down on Veda more than shouting ever could.

"Yeah..."

Veda let out a small breath, his shoulders dropping as he shook his head slowly, disappointment clear on his face.

"That was... really stupid of me."

He scratched the back of his head again, his fingers brushing through his hair as his gaze drifted away for a moment, then he glanced toward Ezra.

Ezra had already returned to his usual spot, seated a little distance away from the group, his posture relaxed as he focused on his food like nothing earlier had concerned him at all.

Veda watched him for a brief second, then he turned back to Vera.

"Did you two come here together?"

He asked, his tone casual, though there was a hint of curiosity beneath it.

"Ask him."

Vera replied immediately, her voice flat, not even sparing him another glance.

Veda gave a short, awkward laugh, rubbing the back of his neck again.

"Okay... okay."

He nodded lightly, clearly not planning to push further.

Vera had already turned away from him at that point, her attention shifting completely as she walked forward with a tray of food held neatly in her hands. Her steps were calm, measured, and quiet, but just as she took a few steps...

She stopped.

Her movement was sudden enough to make those nearby notice.

"Oh... Priscilla, Henry, Bale... and you."

Her voice came out again, but this time it was colder, sharper, carrying a firm authority that cut through the air instantly.

All of them stiffened.

Even those who had just been relaxed a moment ago straightened unconsciously, their bodies reacting before their minds could.

"I will hand each of you a list of your group members who lost their matches."

She turned her head slightly, her eyes half-lidded, dull like still water, yet heavy enough to make no one dare take her words lightly.

"They are to appear before me by morning."

A brief pause followed.

"I am going to murder them..." Another small pause. "With training, of course."

She turned fully this time and continued walking, her expression unchanged, her steps steady as if she had just said something completely normal.

No one spoke.

They all just stood there, watching her back as she left.

A few seconds passed.

Then...

They all exhaled at the same time.

A shared, silent understanding settling over them.

Damn...That was terrifying.