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Cid had just left Hope and Thomas, heading towards the main corridor. He casually looked up and noticed Freya leaning against a wall.

"Well, look who's here? Lady Deserter."

She glared at him.

"Be careful what you say when talking to your superior."

"My superior? I don't see her anywhere, all I see is a spoiled traitor. So? How was the meeting with the Queen? I've heard some funny things about this commoner, it seems like your veto means nothing now."

He looked at her with a mocking look. Both of them had been at odds since the fight between Thomas and Dora.

Freya sighed and rolled her eyes.

"It's a waste of time... Look, I only came here to give you a warning, one that you are obliged to obey: stop antagonizing Anesidora."

Cid frowned and crossed his arms. Freya looked down the hall, as if to make sure no one was listening.

"I realized last time that you seem to have something against him, I don't know what happened between the two of you, but from now on, don't provoke him."

"Hm... You're still belittling my power, aren't you?"

She looked at him with raised eyebrows.

"Belittle? Do you really think you've done anything in your training? Or maybe you'll show me your strength by fighting Hope? Just follow my orders for God's sake, if you continue to provoke Dora, he might associate me with you."

She looked behind her again, but a sudden change in the wind made her focus again on her knight.

Cid, visibly furious, unconsciously released his aura.

"Don't piss me off... So your real problem is that you don't want to make this commoner your enemy?"

"I really hate it when a subordinate behaves like an animal. Until I decide on another outcome, you are under my family's house, so your actions will only taint my name, I don't want to make Dora an enemy, so stop calling him a commoner! As soon as he marks you as an enemy, you will be revoked as my knight."

"THEN GO AHEAD!!!"

A furious cry that alerted Hope and Thomas. Both of them looked surprised and rushed towards Cid and Freya.

"Revoke, revoke, why don't you do that? I'm sick of your ways and your shenanigans! Do you think you're anything? Who are you to insult my power? You always expect better from me , do you think you're in a good position to ask for better? What can you even do for yourself?!"

"I can do many things, as a noble, but I can also as an emissary. You, on the contrary, were a dead weight during your very first rift, you are not even one of the strongest emissaries in your academy and you have no education. Where do you exist? Look in a mirror and repeat everything you just said."

"You..." Cid raised his arm to hit the wall next to Freya, but Hope grabbed him from behind, joined by Thomas.

"Enough! Cid, are you crazy?"

"Let me go! I'm tired of playing with this bitch and her insults! You keep reminding me how much you would have preferred him as a knight... Don't make me laugh, you have the memory short! Have you forgotten how he dodged you? Do you think he'll choose you over his ghost-like girl? Why are you still here then? We both know you have no choice!"

Thomas tried to pull him behind him, but Cid's raw strength was enough to push him back like a doll.

He fell on the ground and tried to get up quickly when he noticed Freya looking at him with pity.

"Aah... hehe..." He lowered his head.

"What a decline... But such is the fate of those who cross his path."

"... Please, Lady Freya! Despite everything, Thomas has always been there for us!" Hope exclaimed desperately, but Freya turned her back on him, ready to leave.

"If you really think of him like that, learn from his mistake and leave Dora alone."

"Lady Freya... With all due respect, Thomas is always on our side, Dora on the opposite, I can guarantee you that he doesn't care about you at all."

He was so determined that he forgot to grab Cid.

It was then that a surprising scene occurred, with grace in her movements and a radiant smile on her face, Freya swept a lock of her magnificent hair to the side and looked aside.

"Oh? I wouldn't be so sure."

The three boys, under this angelic vision, almost forgot their anguish, but the awareness of the insinuation brought them back to reality.

"What do you mean?" Hope asked hesitantly.

Unfortunately for them, Freya just turned her back and headed down the hallway, unable to suppress her facial expression.

"What I mean is, Anesidora is not my enemy, so I won't tolerate if any of you bother him in any way... Well, if you know what's good for you..."

She left without caring about their response, she didn't make a request anyway and they understood it.

Hope clenched his fist in frustration.

"It's so messed up... Why is everyone like this? Everyone supported us before, why are they under him now?"

"That's how this world works." Thomas stood up and patted the dirt on his back. "The strong reign and the weak bow, even among the strong, the weakest will be destroyed and lose everything if they do not quickly understand their place. This is the best lesson I can give you."

Cid, very annoyed, began to walk away.

Hope tried to call him back, but Thomas stopped him with just a look.

He knew how bad Cid's situation was and the need to leave him alone.

They stood together, silent for a while, until Thomas slapped Hope's back to cheer him up, but with very specific reason.

"First the Prince, then Freya, and now this, I don't know what happened with the Queen, but it seems our downfall is already decided."

"Uh? What do you mean... Oh..."

They looked down the hall and saw Mercy coming towards them.

Hope felt his strength abandon him, as he understood what awaited him. Thomas patted him on the shoulder and smiled.

"Whatever happens, remember that the only one above emissaries are the nobility, I'm counting on you." He then leaves his former student, to face his depressing destiny.

Mercy glanced at him a little before reaching for Hope.

"Looks like he's doin' fine, it's great that he didn't gave up on everythin'."

"My Lady... He's not doing well at all... he can't use his power anymore, people are bullying him... it's horrible!"

Mercy seemed surprised and turned towards Thomas who was leaving.

"For real? I heard he asked for no one to intervene, is he going back on what he said?"

"My lady, how could you think like that? What he said doesn't matter, he's hurt! He's suffering! We can't let him down!"

He began to shake nervously, Mercy looked at him worriedly, biting her lip.

"See, that's the thing that's really twirls my mind with you... Hope, do you have any consideration for other's pride?"

"What?"

"Have you wondered why he's doin' it? Are you so blind? HE challenged Dora, HE is the reason Dora is no longer a student, and He insulted the nobles! Not blamin' him, but I understand how thick ya need to be when you walk on that path. He lost the fight and his power, so now he is vulnerable and he made himself a target."

She crossed her arms looking away.

"He knows he messed up, so he's taking responsibility. Don't put dirt on him by trying to do what suits only you."

Hope lowered his head, devastated by Mercy's words.

He looked at Thomas one last time before he disappeared into the hallway.

Mercy sighed and shook her head.

"Anyway, it's not why I'm here, Hope, I wanna ask you somethin', as your noble."

Before the girl could say anything, Hope smiled cynically, as if he had gone crazy.

"Ya see, I know you have like a hateful burning desire for Dora..."

It was probably a nightmare, the young boy tried to convince himself, as his blood rushed dangerously to his head.

"So, if you could refrain from that... T'would be good. He's my pal, so just don't, ok? Also, about the punch you gave him..."

She suddenly interrupted him and looked behind her.

In the distance, screams rose, but not screams of horror, but cheers.

"Ah! Darn it, it was ten minutes early, she played me! I have to go now... Oh! And, stay away from Dora for a while, ok? Don't ever come close until I ask you to."

She turned and hurried down the hall.

From behind, as she ran, she stopped looking like a noble, she was like another young girl happily running towards her beloved.

This was Hope's perception, he felt an unbearable weight on his chest. 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝘸𝑒𝒷𝘯ℴ𝘷𝑒𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝑚

He tried to look at the ground, but he felt like he was going to fall.

"Haha... Ha... Yeah... Do that... haha... I'm used to it now... right?..."

He looked at his trembling hand and was surprised to see a tear running down it.

"... Why is it always like this?"