The door slammed shut behind Edward Smith as he kicked it with all frustration.

Edward Smith— ninth prince of the Imperial British Royal Family, stood in the center of his disciple residence with both fists clenched.

The projection screen near the window was still glowing. Still showing the arena. Still showing Tony Clark standing at the center of it like he owned the ground beneath his feet.

Edward stared at it with red eyes.

"Phat"

He knocked the entire projection array off the table.

It shattered against the marble floor.

"This bastard..."

The words came out low. Barely above a whisper. Which was somehow worse than shouting.

His personal servant Lassi stood near the doorway, having rushed here the moment she’d heard Edward had returned from the arena viewing.

She had composed herself carefully on the way over. Prepared words. Prepared explanations. Prepared the specific tone of voice that usually worked on Edward when he was angry.

She opened her mouth.

Edward crossed the room in four steps and slapped her across the face.

"Phakkk..."

The sound cracked through the residence like a whip.

Lassi’s head snapped sideways. She caught herself against the wall, one hand flying up instinctively, eyes wide.

"Edward..."

"Shut up."

He turned away, running a hand through his hair, then spun back.

"Do you have any idea...?" He stopped. Started again with blood shot eyes. "Do you understand what happened today?! Do you have any idea what I just watched?!"

Lassi straightened slowly. Her cheek burned. She kept her voice even. "I was there. I saw Ton..."

"Then you saw him." Edward’s voice cracked at the edges. "You saw Tony Clark stand in front of the entire academy and beat twelve people like they were nothing. Twelve. And everyone— every single person in those stands was looking at him like he was some kind of..."

He couldn’t finish the word.

"I have never personally spoken with Academy Master Da Vinci. Not once. Do you understand how many people spend their entire lives trying to get one word of acknowledgment from that man?!"

Lassi said nothing.

"And Tony Clark— " Edward laughed, but there was nothing in it that resembled humor. "Tony Clark stood there and rejected him. Rejected him like he was nobody. Like he was some junior disciple asking for a favor." He shook his head. "In front of everyone. In front of the whole academy."

"Edward, listen to me..."

The second slap came faster than the first.

Lassi’s teeth clicked together. She tasted blood.

"Don’t." Edward’s voice dropped to something quiet and dangerous. "Don’t stand there and tell me to listen when your plans are the reason I’m in this position."

"My plans—"

"Failed." He said it flatly. "Every single one. Failed. I gave you resources, I gave you time, I gave you every opportunity to handle one person— one person, Lassi— and what did I get?" He gestured at the shattered projection array on the floor. "I got to watch him become a hero."

Lassi pressed her lips together.

Her cheek throbbed. Her pride throbbed worse.

"And now..." Edward turned away again, pacing. "Now he’s leaving. He’s leaving the academy. Which means I can’t touch him here. Which means every plan, every setup, every angle we built around this place is completely..."

He swept a vase off the side table... It exploded against the wall.

"Useless! All of it, useless!"

"Edward." Lassi’s voice came out sharper than she intended. "Hitting me won’t change what happened."

He turned slowly.

The look on his face made her want to step back. She didn’t.

"You’re right." He walked toward her. "It won’t." He stopped directly in front of her. "But it helps me remember whose fault it is."

The third slap.

This one she felt behind her eyes.

She grabbed the wall. Kept herself upright through sheer stubbornness. Her vision blurred for a moment, then steadied.

"You wasted every plan. The Healing Tower situation. The academy test setup. The rumors. All of it. You told me it was handled. You told me he had no way out."

"He shouldn’t have—"

"But he did." Edward tilted his head slightly. "So explain to me, Lassi. Explain to me how someone who was supposed to be finished— expelled, disgraced, removed— ended up standing in an arena being offered a core disciple position by the Academy Master himself."

Lassi was quiet for a moment before saying, "He can still be destroyed."

Edward blinked.

"There is still a chance. He left the academy. Fine. He beat twelve disciples. Fine. But his reputation can be destroyed in one day." Her eyes steadied.

Edward watched her.

"People forget heroes quickly." Lassi continued. "But they remember scandals forever. Give me some time and I will make Tony Clark’s name synonymous with disgrace." She met Edward’s eyes directly. "I will make him lose everything. Not just his reputation— his future."

Silence.

Edward studied her face for a long moment.

Then he grabbed her by the collar and walked her backward— three steps, four steps— until her back hit the door. He pulled it open behind her.

And shoved her through it.

Lassi stumbled into the corridor, barely catching her balance.

Edward stood in the doorway, looking down at her.

"Go." His voice was completely flat. "Do exactly what you just said. Make him lose everything. Make his name mean nothing." A pause. "But if you come back here with another failure— "

He looked at her for one more second.

"Don’t come back."

The door closed.

Lassi stood in the empty corridor alone.

Her face hurt. Her collar was twisted. Her hair had come loose on one side.

She reached up slowly and straightened it.

Then she turned and walked away from the door with measured, even steps.

Her expression, by the time she reached the end of the corridor, was completely calm.

Tony Clark.

Her eyes were cold.

***

"I’m telling the truth. I really don’t know." Tony Clark said.

"I don’t believe you," Lily, said directly.

"Yes, I also don’t believe you, brother-in-law. Why do you always hide the truth from us? You could have directly said I am a Grandmaster. I can pass the Academy trial easily, but you never said it." Julie also added from the side, supporting her sister.

"This time I am really telling the truth. I really don’t know why the Academy Master Da Vinci asked me to stay one more day." Tony said again, as he tried his best to act like he was really telling the truth.

But still, Tony’s words failed to make them believe.

"Then tell me, why are you leaving the academy? You are already a Grand Master, and you will have a great chance at world tree blessing along with us. What is the reason for you to leave the academy? What will you do at home?" Lily asked more questions, as she failed to get a single correct answer from Tony Clark.

Tony Clark sighed heavily as he directly fell back on the sofa.

"Dealing with entire nine lotus academy academy is much easier than answering a beautiful-wife." Tony muttered in a heavy tone.

-

Note: Tq @CMF @Vick14 for unlocking privilege Chapters. Tq for your support guys!