‘A letter?’
Mary turned back and saw one of the academy’s workers speed walking toward her.
He was trying to maintain his decorum, but his face was already red, meaning that he was about to lose it at any moment.
Luckily, Mary heard him.
He had been calling out to her for a long while, but it seemed as if she was drowning in her thoughts.
All of a sudden, Mary sneezed, causing him to raise a brow.
“Here.”
She took the letter from the man and watched him walk away before opening it.
A few other students were walking on the wide path, all clothed in beautiful silk attire, which was red and white in color. She was also clothed in the same type of garment, with her hair neatly braided.
Because of the kind of class she would be attending today, braiding was the best way to avoid hair issues.
Along with the letter was a brown leather pouch, filled with what seemed like coins.
‘Is it from another noble?’ She thought. Mary had no less than 20 men coming as suitors for the past seven months but had rejected them all.
Mary’s brows scrunched up.
Thud!
She threw the letter and the pouch to the ground and continued her walk.
“What’s this?”
A female voice rang behind her, causing her to turn. Right where she threw the pouch stood a fiery red-haired young woman with piercing red eyes. Her outfit highlighted her womanly body, and she had a curious light in her eyes as she picked up the letter and the pouch.
“Another one heads over heels over your stunning gray hair and golden eyes?”
She giggled.
This beauty was Yuna Mormont, daughter of Duke Mormont, lord of the dukedom of Mormont!
She happened to be the closest friend Mary had in and outside of the academy.
“Just throw it away. We have class.”
Yuna followed Mary, and as they walked side by side, she nudged Mary. “I really want to know that brother of yours. I mean, you so want to please him that you joined the knight course just because you want to aid his military power.”
“I also joined the researcher’s course.” Mary retorted.
“Yes, you did. But it was so that you could find out the secrets of the lost races and help him.”
Mary shrugged her off.
“For all we know, this letter could be from him.”
“It’s not.”
Yuna raised an eyebrow.
“How do you know that when you haven’t opened the letter?”
Seeing that Mary wasn’t interested, Yuna unfurled the letter with a mischievous smile, but that smile vanished when she saw what was written.
When Mary noticed that Yuna stood in one spot all this while, she narrowed her eyes.
“Yuna!”
Yuna lifted up her head.
“It’s been a while. How have you been? From your younger brother, Asher.”
Mary couldn’t believe her ears. She ran, grabbed the letter, and read it several times before it sank into her being that Asher was the one that sent it.
What she didn’t know was that it took Asher all night to come with those few words.
Before Yuna could react, Mary grabbed the pouch from her and opened it.
“He sent me money.”
Yuna was amazed. What was so remarkable about such an amount of money that made her friend so happy?
“He actually cares.”
Mary’s eyes became moist. She never wanted to leave Nineveh, but Asher still sent her away.
It plagued her heart that he was throwing her out of his sight, but she channeled that negative energy into doing her best and studying courses that would benefit his territory.
Like how she yearned to establish an academy, similar to this one for him. This was her greatest ambition.
Yuna pursed her lips.
……..
As Mary and Yuna walked into their class, a blonde-haired young man chortled. “The Ashbourne knight is here.”
“Hahaha!”
His friends burst into laughter.
When Mary first joined the academy, her talent made her stand out, but while she was a high grader in the researcher class, she was the weakest in knight class, also known as the duelist class at her current stage.
Though she was growing at a fast pace, the others had started training when they were seven years and were still learning, so the gap was huge.
“I don’t think I’ve heard of any Ashbourne nobility in the empire.”
“She’s not from the empire and is probably from a remote baron who bought his title.”
Mary ignored them and sat beside Yuna.
The blonde approached them with crossed arms.
“I really have to know. Does your house have any remarkable knights?”
Mary looked into his eyes and snorted within.
“It has nothing to do with you.”
No one was surprised, as Mary wasn’t the kind of girl to back down even with several losses in duels.
“Is that so? I heard Lady Sariel say you are not worthy to be a knight’s squire even though you are a silver-ranked duelist.”
Yuna got up, flames bursting out of her palms, but Mary stopped her.
“You are the son of a titled knight sworn to house Nubis. You’ll hear of the Ashbourne Knights one day, and they won’t bring a smile to your face but dread.”
“Hahahaha!”
The boy clapped. “I’ll be waiting.”
He smiled proudly.
“Yuna. Isn’t it time you tell her that this isn’t a class for her?”
“Isn’t it time for you to know that bullying others because you’re scared of her talent makes you look weaker?” Yuna retorted.
Yuna was respected by many, as she was one of the top candidates. Her strength and skill came from the training she received from her childhood teacher.
Mormonts were a fearsome house known for their heavy bear cavalry.
They were one of the behemoths of the Eternal Immortal Empire.
In the entire continent, she was recognized as the daughter of a duke.
The blonde frowned and walked away.
A short while later, their teacher walked into the class.
“Today will be theoretical. Keep your weapons aside.”