Night Monarch's Cannon Fodder Bride-Chapter 53: Usurping the Throne

"Aren’t you going to give that beggar his food?" Alina asked as they sat inside the cafeteria.

According to her logic, anyone who forced others to bring him breakfast and snacks qualified as a beggar.

She had noticed Severine getting up so early, so she had assumed it was because of Emmett.

Much to her surprise, Severine was back. However, there was no scent of food on her body.

"Didn’t go to the cafeteria yet?" she mumbled, her sleepy eyes filled with equal parts of mist and confusion.

"No."

Just as Alina thought that the green-eyed pervert had made another baffling request and was about to lash out a string of curses, she heard Severine’s voice again.

"None."

"Huh?"

"Is there a discount on full sentences this morning?" Alina scratched her messy brown hair, ruffling them into a bigger mess. "Can you speak more than one word, your highness?"

"You stink."

Alina, "..."

I just woke up. Of course, I have morning breath.

But did she dare speak again?

Shaking her head with a wry smile, she rushed to the bathroom.

Then, before Severine immersed herself in the tide of data flickering on her laptop’s screen, she dragged the workaholic young lady to the cafeteria.

She was afraid Severine would miss her breakfast. After Sami’s instructions regarding the weakening health of his delicate boss, Alina didn’t dare take any risks.

The sun still refused to shine on that side of the earth.

"Oh, it’s perfect weather to watch horror movies."

"You like horror?" Severine asked. There were no such details in her dreams.

But then again, she was supposed to change her dorm after injuring Alina. There was no further interaction between them until the end of the term.

And then old Severine had vanished from the academy.

Alina clicked her tongue. "They scare me. But that’s the fun, isn’t it?"

The corner of her lips tilted up in a smile. How could she not be happy when the always cold-faced doll had started to take an interest in her life?

It gave her the feeling that she had taken another step in their legendary friendship.

"Today is a great day, isn’t it?"

Rumble. Boom!

Barely had her words fallen before lightning struck. Alina’s lips twitched. "Is God playing a prank on me?"

Without answering, Severine stared at the girl whose whole life had turned into a horror story with a complicated look.

Alina, not noticing anything amiss under the cover of darkness, grabbed Severine’s cold palm and quickened her pace.

If rain started to fall, they would be drenched.

Which idiot made this academy so big? Damn it!

Amidst the rolling thunder, they entered the cafeteria, which was only illuminated by artificial lights.

Two plates of food sat on the table, emitting a mouthwatering aroma. She had already started devouring her meal, finishing half a bowl of sea congee.

"So, when are you going to deliver a tiffin box?"

"I’m not going."

Severine’s reply made Alina’s hand freeze midair.

"Huh? Can you do that? I thought you had to obey those three idiots? What if they made things difficult for you again?"

She brought the spoon to her mouth before muttering, "They’re like kings, and we’re their subjects. We may hate them, want to punch them, but we still have to obey."

"Not kings," Severine said as her lips touched the edge of her cup. A slightly bitter taste spread across her tongue.

One plate was piled high with pastries and congee. The other held only coffee and toast.

The differences in their plates were clear.

To this, Alina had simply declared with cheeks puffed with osmanthus pastries. "If I don’t eat more, how the hell am I going to take advantage of this academy?"

Severine was glad Alina was an athlete. Otherwise, she would have long since developed digestive problems.

"If not kings, then what? Corrupt ministers? A crown prince?" After saying that, Alina burst into giggles. "Then we should be the rebel forces, about to usurp the throne."

Usurp the throne...

She couldn’t do that, at least not when her own throne wasn’t stable enough.

However, she also didn’t need to be as pessimistic as before. Because she had finally grasped a few key points she had been working on for so long.

With bargaining chips in her hand, she doubted Emily would try to play anything. Damien would most likely follow whatever his darling sister said.

As for Emmett... that was already on her next agenda. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

"When is your next competition?" she asked.

Caught off guard by the sudden change in subject, it took Alina a second to reply. "I am not sure. Due to the bad weather, it might change to next week, or even two."

Since the championship was being held on the eastern side of Kirent Borough, where the temperature was still low, the rain would only create more difficulties for the travelers.

[The rain soaked through Alina’s white clothes, the fabric clinging to her skin. Her eyes were red at the edges as she stood in the vacant ground.

Droplets trailed down her sunken cheeks before disappearing into her only remaining piece of uniform.

Was she crying?

Only she knew.

However, even without the confirmation, one could sense the immense grief radiating from her.

This game, this championship, was her best shot at getting recognized by both her academy and the judges of the international sports panel.

After her injury, this was her first game—and the rain had washed away what little hope she had left.

Without results, St. Michael Academy wouldn’t take long to discard her. Not to mention the situation of her parents being jobless.

"What should I do?" she thought, her fingers curling over the hem of her shirt.

"How about starting with... begging?"

Startled, Alina raised her head only to meet the pair of deep blue eyes. At some point, the young master Damien had entered the ground. He stood a few meters away, covered under the protection of a black umbrella.

"Get lost."

"Tsk. Still as vulgar as ever."

Arrogance cloaked him from head to toe.

"Do you not use your brain even a little? What are you even fighting for? For your pathetic dignity? Is it worth it?"

Those questions swirled in her mind, making her dizzy until only one sentence remained, repeating like a broken record.

Was it worth it?

Was it?

"I’ll be in Aurora Grand." He raised his chin high before leaving her all alone.

Thunder rumbled, resonating deep inside her chest. Something snapped and broke, leaving a blemish that would never heal.

She turned around, leaving the ground. With each step, her broken white shoes smudged with more and more mud.

Filthy... she mused as a bitter smile appeared on her pale lips.

"Aurora Grand... That’s where Emmett is staying, too. Hah... I am becoming filthy."

Damien waited, but no one came to beg as he had expected. Tables and chairs lay sprawled over the carpet. Most of them were in splinters.

The poor manager could only wipe the sweat from his forehead with the back of his sleeve.

"We’ll change it right away."

It was the third renovation in two weeks. The damage had escalated from shattered vases and pots to collapsed tables and chairs. Only the reinforced windows remained intact.

If not for the top-grade bulletproof glass, the manager doubted the nearby rooms would have survived the rage of an Awakener.

Soon, Damien understood why Alina hadn’t come to beg when he saw the news the next morning.

She had managed to secure a ticket to the competition, replacing an injured player and had won the trophy.

"That bastard Emmett!"]

That marked the beginning of Alina’s breakdown. From a dignified, cheerful player to someone who no longer lifted her head.

"Do you have extra uniforms? And clothes?"

"Huh? Oh, yes. I have two. As for clothes, I have plenty."

If nothing changed, Alina would have to stay in Kirent Borough for nearly a month and might have to compete in two championship cups.

There was a high chance she would face the same "accidents"—her uniform and equipment ruined by petty competitors.

"Buy one more. And bring water-resistant clothes with you."

"Is it going to rain that much?" Alina’s brows furrowed. She instantly pulled out her phone with a winking panda case and began to look at the weather reports.

Although there were chances for rain, it wasn’t as severe as Severine made it to be.

"It’s alright. Nothing that I can’t handle."

"Do it."

A cold voice made Alina shudder. For some baffling reason, her instincts flared wildly before falling eerily silent, as if telling her to obey.

"I’ll take you shopping later. Be ready after classes."

"Umm... sure. No need to scare me."

Severine wasn’t trying to scare her. Rather, she wanted Alina to win.

Talent, when polished, could become a weapon sharper than any blade.

The more Alina shone, the better the chance to change the story from the inside out.

In a way, Alina was her greatest investment. A precious asset that would bring her plenty of surprises.