Slap——!
A sharp sound echoed through the Ainsley Family mansion.
“Drop out,” Dianna Ainsley, Silas’s mother, demanded.
Silas touched his stinging cheek but didn’t flinch. “Why should I?”
“I told you to watch your tone,” she snapped. “I didn’t raise you to be disrespectful.”
Silas let out a bitter chuckle. “That’s funny. I don’t remember you raising me at all.”
These people….
They were the real problem. They were the reason for everything that had happened.
The Ainsley Family was highly respected in the public eye. His father, a well-known politician, promised change and progress to the people.
But those promises were empty.
He was rotten to the core.
And his mother wasn’t any different.
“You…. Why now?” Dianna’s voice wavered with irritation. “Why are you acting out when the elections are coming up soon? Don’t you care about your father? We’re lucky the university buried the issue.”
“Yeah, you’re right. Sorry, Mother.”
There was no use talking sense to these people. His mother wouldn’t listen to reason. With her, it was always about prestige, power, politics, and maintaining the family’s image.
They were all the same. Sociopaths in noble clothing.
These shitty aristocrats.
“….”
He gave her a slight bow, feigning respect, and turned to leave the room.
“Silas! Don’t you dare walk away from me!” Dianna shouted.
He didn’t stop. He strode down the cold marble floors of the Ainsley mansion, ignoring the priceless art and suffocating grandeur around him, and returned to his room.
Bang—!
All this time, his anger had been aimed at the wrong target. It wasn’t Vanitas Astrea who truly deserved his hatred.
It was the Ainsley Family.
They were the root of it all.
Silas walked toward his desk and pulled out a drawer. Inside were files, questionnaires, and notes.
“….”
They were for tests he had completed during his time at the University Tower.
[97/100]
[94/100]
[50/50]
[76/80]
Though they were from his personal simulations. Before deliberately scoring half marks on the actual exams, he had answered them all to the best of his ability before submitting the half-assed results.
Despite what others thought, Silas was not mediocre.
At least, not anymore.
He had been considered untalented in magic during his elementary years, and had struggled to keep up with others.
But talent was only one piece of the puzzle. Over time, he had cultivated something else.
Something that surpassed natural ability.
True genius didn’t always manifest early.
Sometimes, it was born through struggle, through sheer will to break through barriers others took for granted.
“Hm.”
Perhaps there was no reason to hold back anymore. He recalled seeing Ezra and Astrid struggle over certain theories and formulas.
Formulas he had solved in under five minutes with nothing but mental calculation.
It had taken them much longer.
In other words, compared to the two geniuses of their year, he wasn’t far behind.
No. If he fully put in all efforts, he could probably surpass them.
For the entirety of his suspension, Silas threw himself fully into studying, training, and improving himself.
* * *
Autumn.
A season when the leaves transform into shades of amber, crimson, and gold. They fall gently, like rain, covering the paths in a colorful blanket.
But just like the changing season, an unexpected shift swept through Margaret’s knight order like a tidal wave.
“Y-Yes? Commissioner, what can I do for you today?” Margaret stood abruptly from her desk.
She was just drafting up training schedules and requests, when all of a sudden, a commissioner from the parliament had paid her Crusade Order a visit.
“Congratulations. Your efforts have been acknowledged by both the parliament and the Imperial Family.”
Margaret blinked, stunned. “Acknowledged?”
“Indeed. Your Crusade Order has been officially validated. As of today, you’ll receive sponsorship directly from the parliament.”
“W-We will?” Margaret stammered, still processing the words. Recognition from the parliament itself was no small feat.
Though she was a member of the Crusade of the Round Table, her rank, while commendable, was nothing compared to the true titans in the organization.
Her Knight Order wasn’t much different—composed of knights in similar situations, perhaps lower in that regard.
In simple terms, Crusade Orders were factions within the Crusade.
These factions could vary in size and power. The larger Orders had strong backing not just from the parliament but also from influential aristocrats.
Margaret’s Order, however, had yet to receive such aristocratic support.
The commissioner’s visit was a significant turning point for her Order.
“Your Order’s accomplishments this year have been remarkable. You’ve secured territories, contributed to peacekeeping efforts, and surpassed your quota at the University Tower. The reports indicate an 18% increase in the overall grades of first-year Crusade Department students.”
The commissioner went on and on, detailing specifics. Margaret listened, trying to absorb everything without letting the excitement show too much.
“I…. I understand…. Thank you. We’ll do our utmost to live up to these expectations.”
“I trust that you will.” The commissioner nodded and left her office.
The moment he was gone, Margaret exhaled deeply. A wave of emotions washed over her. Her lips trembled slightly, and her heart felt lighter than it had in years.
In the past, after graduating, she had tried applying to already established orders, but her attempts had been met with rejection.
They saw her as a repeater, and her injury didn’t help matters. It was discouraging and frustrating. No one seemed willing to give her a chance.
But now, her hard work and perseverance had finally paid off. Recognition had come not from favoritism, but through the results her Order had achieved.
Bang—!
“Grand Knight!” Johanna burst into the room, her face bright with excitement. “The whole Order’s celebrating. They heard the news. Everyone’s out on the training grounds. They’re waiting for you!”
“A–Ah….” Margaret barely had time to react before Johanna grabbed her arm and dragged her out of the office.
The cool autumn breeze greeted them as they stepped outside. Cheers and laughter echoed across the grounds.
——Grand Knight Margaret!
——Three cheers for our Grand Knight!
Margaret’s cheeks flushed. She raised her hand awkwardly to acknowledge the small crowd.
“Speech! Speech!” Johanna grinned from the side, nudging her gently.
It felt a bit over the top to give a speech in front of a small crowd, but to Margaret, this was her family.
The only one she had left.
“I…. I don’t have much to say,” she began. “But thank you. This wouldn’t have been possible without all of you. I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished together….”
Clap, clap—!
Applause filled the training grounds, and Margaret felt warmth in her chest as she took in the supportive faces around her.
“With official validation, we can finally have an established name. So, what should we call our Order, Grand Knight?” Johanna asked.
Margaret blinked, pausing for a moment. She scanned the crowd, and her lips parted hesitantly. “Any…. suggestions?”
The knights exchanged glances, smirking as if they had already agreed on something beforehand.
Then, in perfect unison, they all shouted together. Even Johanna, who was standing right beside Margaret.
——Illenia Knights!
“….!”
Margaret’s eyes widened in shock.
“Wait, what…?” she stammered, looking between them.
Johanna chuckled. “It’s what we all want. We’ve been talking about it since before.”
“We wanted to name the Order after you. You’re the reason we’re here,” one of the knights explained with a grin.
“….”
Margaret’s heart skipped a beat. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing.
“Illenia Knights.…” she whispered, letting the words sink in.
Memories flooded Margaret’s mind.
Memories of her childhood in the Kingdom of Illenia. Back when she was still a princess. Those peaceful days.
The knights who served the kingdom were also known as the Illenia Knights.
“….”
Margaret glanced around, noticing someone was missing.
“Where’s Clevius?” she asked, turning to Johanna.
“I don’t know. He left early this morning.”
“Is that so?”
* * *
“Yes, increase production this month. We’ve got a lot of reservations piling up for our big debut in December,”
Inside the winery factory, Charlotte oversaw the entire production process.
She had just finished sorting through the imported grapes from their vineyard and reviewing the quality reports from the storage units.
She walked along the production line, checking each station to ensure everything was running smoothly. Charlotte made a few notes on her clipboard before turning to the supervisor beside her.
“Ensure the barrels for the premium blend are handled with extra care,” said.
“Yes, Ma’am. I’ll see to it personally,” the supervisor replied with a nod.
Satisfied, Charlotte moved to the office area where the logistics team was stationed.
There, she reviewed pending shipment schedules and export permits displayed on the large scheduling board. With the holiday rush coming and their wine brand’s big debut, there was no room for delays.
Vanitas had mentioned the excitement building around their family wine, ‘Vanessa Clarice.’
Charlotte’s eyes fell on the rows of glass bottles nearby. Each one was highly elegant with the brand name etched in cursive.
She ran a finger gently over one of the bottles.
“Vanessa Clarice….”
The thought of their father’s name being left out made her feel conflicted. Though she understood why.
Their father had done unforgivable things to her brother, Vanitas. But to her, he had always been kind rather than cruel. He never hurt her the way he had hurt Vanitas.
“….It’s better this way.”
Their father’s name didn’t deserve to be part of something the current Vanitas had built from the ground up.
“Have the shipment dates been confirmed?” she asked one of the logistics coordinators.
“Yes, Ma’am. We’ve already sent confirmation to the carriers.”
This had become Charlotte’s routine every weekend. At first, Vanitas had accompanied her to oversee things, but now she had fully adjusted to the job.
Maybe building their dynasty wasn’t such an impossible dream after all.
Charlotte held a stack of reports in her hand and made her way to the car. Vanitas’s personal butler, Evan, was already waiting for her.
“Return to the estate, please.”
“Understood, Lady Astrea,” Evan replied with a slight bow.
The car started, and after a short drive, they arrived at the gates of their new estate.
Every time Charlotte stepped inside, the sight still took her aback. It truly felt like a fresh start.
This change, along with all the others ever since Archmage Zen took over, made her feel as if she had finally stopped clinging to the past and was now moving forward.
“Ah, you’re back,” Vanitas said, glancing up from his desk with a pen in hand as Charlotte entered his office.
“Yes.” Charlotte nodded and approached. “Here are the ledger reports, the shipment schedules, and the latest quality control summaries.”
She placed the stack of documents on his desk. Vanitas skimmed through them.
“Production’s holding steady,” he noted. “But I see there’s an issue with storage at the southern facility.”
“Yes, the supervisor mentioned a few barrels in one of the cooling units were compromised. They’re addressing it, but it could impact the December launch if not resolved quickly.”
“Let’s redirect the reserve stock from the northern facility as a precaution. I’ll contact the logistics team to expedite it.”
Charlotte nodded. “Understood. I’ll make the necessary arrangements.”
“Good.” He paused and looked at her. “And how are you holding up? All this work…. it’s a lot for you. Are you keeping up with your studies?”
Charlotte smiled. “Yes, don’t worry about it. I’m managing. This is important for us. I want to help.”
“You’ve done well. Really. I’m proud of you.”
“Hehe~ Thank you.”
Charlotte gathered her things and began to head toward the door. Vanitas watched her for a moment before calling out, “Where are you going?”
“Ah, I have a lecture at 2:00 PM,” she explained, glancing at the clock on the wall. “I need to get there early and prepare.”
“Alright. Don’t overwork yourself. And if anyone bothers you—”
“I know, I know,” Charlotte interrupted playfully, waving a hand. “You’ll ‘handle it,’ right?”
“Exactly.”
“See you later, Vanitas,” she said with a grin before stepping out of the office.
Ever since the play, Charlotte had become quite popular.
Several people—mostly male students—had been trying to approach her. First years, second years, even some third years.
Vanitas wasn’t stupid. He was sure many of them likely had ulterior motives.
Apparently, random students would suddenly show up, pretending to ask for study tips or offering to walk her to lectures.
“Ha.”
Charlotte had been oppressed and harassed at the start of the school year.
Even though that situation had been resolved, Vanitas didn’t care. He wasn’t going to let anyone hurt his little sister again. Not after everything she had been through.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Vanitas tapped his pen against his desk, thinking. He would need to set certain boundaries for those trying to get too close.
Of course, outright threats would cause more problems than they’d solve.
Subtlety was key.
Riririiing—
Suddenly, his communication crystal rang. He picked up the call almost immediately.
“Yes?”
——So, when are you coming? Or am I supposed to reschedule it tomorrow and squeeze it in my already tight schedule?
Ah, it was Yves.
“Right. I’m coming now.”
——Good.