On the academy grounds, while the snow was falling, rare footage of three girls who had the fate of being exceptional in the future could be seen.
“Hey, do you have something?”
Julia raised her head, looking at the other two.
“Do I have what?”
Irina asked, seemingly perturbed. Her mind seemed to be elsewhere, completely unconnected to the present.
“Of course, something to talk about? I am really bored, you know.”
Julia replied. Since they had been training and studying from the morning, she had already reached her limit, and her ADHD was kicking in, especially with her addiction to gossip and entertainment.
“Ah….” Irina shook her head. “I don’t have…”
“You?” Seeing that she wouldn’t be able to get anything from Irina, Julia turned her attention to Lilia, who had already expected what was about to come.
“Hmm…” Lilia put her finger to her lips to give the impression that there was something. Julia, seeing that, slightly twitched the corner of her mouth.
‘She is doing it again.’ Inwardly cringing, she maintained her expression, as she knew this was what Lilia liked to do.
Lilia finally smiled, her eyes lighting up with the kind of insider knowledge that only someone deeply embedded in the politics of high society would possess. “Actually, there is something,” she began, her voice lowering to a conspiratorial whisper. Julia leaned in, her interest clearly piqued, while even Irina seemed to momentarily snap back to reality, her ears perked up at the mention of something potentially juicy.
Lilia’s eyes darted around to ensure no one else was within earshot before she continued. “The Blackthorn family is considering entering an alliance with the Harringtons,” she disclosed, her voice barely a whisper. Julia’s eyes widened; such news was exactly the kind of thing she loved to sink her teeth into.
“There are rumors,” Lilia added, pausing for effect, “that they might merge their businesses on the archaeology front.”
Julia’s mind raced at the implications, and she couldn’t help but raise her eyebrows.
The Blackthorns and the Harringtons were two of the most influential families within their respective fields, while the latter was in the slightly lower ranks compared to the former.
A partnership between them could shift power dynamics not only in the academy but perhaps even in broader society.
However, while saying that, Lilia didn’t forget to check Irina’s reactions, and she saw nothing as if Irina didn’t even care.
‘Did she not understand what this implies, or does she really not care?’
There were two types of merging for noble families. One of them was a clear business contract where that was solely in the form of companies. The other one was to clearly manage families by entering an arranged marriage.
The latter would be the way of showing the world that the contract was a lot deeper and the alliance was a lot stronger as well.
Of course, being the heirs of such families, all three girls were very well aware of such topics, as arranged marriages were the fate awaiting those who lacked behind compared to their other siblings.
That was why Lilia was slightly surprised, as she knew Irina had long liked Victor and that he was the most likely candidate for the marriage.
“Why archaeology, though?” Julia mused aloud. “Both families have their fingers in so many pies. What’s so special about archaeology all of a sudden?”
Irina, who had been quiet, chimed in, her tone thoughtful. “There’s been a lot of talk about new discoveries and untouched sites that promise immense historical value. Maybe it’s about securing first access to these places before anyone else.”
It really looked like she didn’t care, and Lilia trusted her judgment.
‘So she is finally over it….’ Feeling happy for her friend, Lilia smiled. And then she nodded in agreement to Irina’s words. “Exactly. And with both families combining their resources and influence, they could potentially dominate the field, controlling major discoveries and the narrative around them.”
Julia nodded, processing the information. The implications were vast, and the potential for exclusive stories or insider information could be invaluable. “This could be big,” she whispered, already thinking about the various angles from which she could approach the topic in her next gossip round.
“However, there are some other rumors as well,” Lilia whispered.
“What is it?”
Lilia leaned closer, her voice dropping even lower as she added another layer to their discussion. “You know, the Harringtons have a history of researching relics from the pre-Nexus Convergence. And there are whispers that they’re particularly well-versed in ancient artifacts and ancient energies. Maybe there’s some connection there.”
Irina and Julia raised their eyebrows, intrigued by this deeper level of speculation but also aware of their limited access to the inner workings of such high-level dealings. They knew their role wasn’t to pry too deeply with their current information but to keep ears open for more tangible leads.
After all, though they would be the future heads of their families, right now, they were in the academy and the things that they knew would already be known by their parents and the heads of the families.
As they mulled over these revelations, musing about the potential implications, Irina’s gaze drifted across the academy grounds. Her eyes landed on a lone figure walking by himself – it was Astron. A smile tugged at her lips, and she began to straighten up, preparing to call out to him.
However, before she could utter a word, Julia reached out, placing a finger to her own lips with a mischievous glint in her eye. “Sshhh,” she hissed softly, signaling Irina to remain silent.
Julia’s eyes sparkled with the thrill of the moment. “Let’s just watch for a bit,” she whispered back, her gaze fixed on Astron. “Sometimes, you learn more by observing than interacting. You never know what—or who—you might discover.”
‘Hehehehe….I wonder if he will be meeting with that Senior. And I wonder what Irina’s reaction would be to see her? It would certainly be interesting to watch.’
She thought smirking. Of course, this act may be seen as her looking for her friend’s demise for entertainment, but in fact, she was actually looking after her friend.
Without knowing what type of connection that guy had with that senior, if Irina were to connect too much, she would be way more heartbroken. In times like these, knowing it earlier would certainly help, even though it may hurt.
Irina, though slightly disappointed at her advance stopped, couldn’t help but get drawn into Julia’s playful scheme.
‘Does she know something?’ As she knew, Julia wasn’t a girl who acted without any clear goal.
“I am in.” Lilia also nodded, somehow wanting to see what this guy was up to. Though they may not be close, Astron was someone she considered with the potential to be able to work under her; thus, grasping his weaknesses would mean a lot.
The trio huddled closer together, their attention now split between the unfolding dynamics of their families and the solitary figure of Astron as he moved through the snowy landscape, unaware of the watchful eyes upon him.
As they trailed Astron through the snowy academy grounds, their curiosity deepened with every step he took.
Entering the northeastern district, an area buzzing with the intellectual energy of students and researchers seemed to confirm their suspicions that Astron was meeting someone.
The district, known for its cozy cafes and proximity to the research center, was a common gathering place for those looking to relax or engage in informal study sessions.
‘Who is he meeting? Is there someone I don’t know?’
Irina’s thoughts raced, imagining who Astron could be meeting, while Julia’s smile widened, pleased with the intrigue they were uncovering. The fun of the chase had fully caught them now.
–SWOOSH!
However, their focus shifted abruptly as a wave of energy pulsated through the air.
“!”
The distinctive ripple of mana was unmistakable, indicating a disturbance nearby. Both Lilia and Irina, sensitive to such fluctuations, recognized it instantly as signs of a conflict or brawl—a rarity but not unheard of among the academy’s passionate and sometimes hot-headed students.
“Someone is fighting.” Not knowing why they were still speaking with whispers, Irina informed others.
“Yeah, I know.”
Turning towards the source of the disturbance, Lilia’s enhanced vision, honed from her training as a ranger, caught sight of a troubling scene within one of the cafes.
Ethan, with his face bloodied, was sprawled across a table, surrounded by a group of unknown individuals. It was clear from his posture and the tension around him that he was either in the middle of a confrontation or had just suffered the worst end of one.
Lilia’s instincts as a protector kicked in, and she whispered urgently to her companions, “That’s Ethan—he’s in trouble.”
“What?”
“Ethan is in trouble?”
Without hesitation, the trio’s earlier mission of following Astron was put on hold. It was an unconscious act.
The importance of family alliances and camaraderie among their circle, especially those of notable houses, dictated their next actions.
Quickly and quietly, they approached the cafe, their minds shifting from curiosity about Astron’s activities to concern for Ethan’s well-being.
After all, the former was something they did just for entertainment.
–SWOOSH!
Without even wasting for a second, Julia, being the hot-
blooded girl she is, instantly dashed through the café.
“Hey!”
Lilia and Irina tried to calm her down to assess the situation first, but Julia was already far away.
“Sigh….” With a sigh, Lilia followed Julia, noticing that standing there wouldn’t help.
“Wa-“
Irina was left alone for a second, being late in judgment. She threw a gaze at where Astron was but only to see that he was no longer there.
“Tch.”
With a click of her tongue, she also followed her friends’ tracks, instantly rushing to the café.