Against the dark backdrop of the gothic city, my sister’s golden eyes glowed like firelight in the night.
She flashed her signature smirk — the one that always suggested she believed she was the superior twin.
Her tied-up hair swayed with every step as she walked toward me, stopping just inches away.
Then that smirk deepened.
“You’re not heading back to the castle, are you? Seriously, you’ve always been like this. Even when we used to visit Central, you’d hole yourself up in the Monarch’s mansion. I’ve told you a hundred times… that behavior is not healthy.”
I gave her a flat look.
“Oh, really? I wonder why I did that. Certainly not because every time I went outside with you, you made it your mission to verbally abuse me until I started crying.”
An amused glint flickered in her eyes.
“That’s slander,” she said airily, waving a hand. “I never verbally abused you. I just described your personality accurately. Loudly. In public. With colorful metaphors.”
“Right,” I muttered, rolling my eyes and stepping aside. I was done entertaining her.
But before I could walk past, she stepped in front of me again, blocking my path.
I glared at her.
Which, of course, only seemed to amuse her more.
“Besides, why are you holding such an old grudge? If you really want a reason to hate me that much, I can give you a fresh one,” she leaned in, stretching her smile until it was all teeth. “And I’m not cowardly enough to do something like burning your clothes behind your back. Oh, no. Whatever I do, I’ll do it to your face.”
I blinked slowly.
Then, even slower, curled my lips into a smirk of my own — one that made me look utterly shameless and completely unapologetic.
“Lia, if you’re referring to the time everything in your wardrobe spontaneously combusted, believe me, I know nothing about it,” I said, placing a hand over my heart in mock sincerity. “After all, no culprit was ever caught.”
Finally, that infuriatingly smug look on Thalia’s face faltered — replaced by a furious one.
She looked like she was about to lash out and grab my throat, but before she could, another voice cut through the air behind me.
“Stop bullshitting, Sammy. The whole Academy knows it was you. It’s practically an open secret.”
I frowned slightly and turned around— only to find Princess Alice gracing me with her presence.
Her hair, so vividly red it looked like her skull had been set ablaze, was styled in tight box braids that suited her well. Her equally red eyes gleamed like embers in the dark.
Standing beside her was her Shadow, her twin brother — Prince Willem. While she flanked my right, he casually blocked my left.
His fiery red hair was tousled in that artfully messy way that made it seem like he woke up looking that handsome. His eyes matched his sister’s in brightness and mischief.
And naturally, a stupid grin was plastered on his face, as if he knew he was about to enjoy this.
I sighed like dealing with these three clowns was physically exhausting.
Because it really was.
Princess Alice folded her arms. “Honestly, I expected more finesse from you. But arson? Really, Sammy? That’s so petty.”
“Oh, please,” I said dryly. “If I really wanted to traumatize you all, I’d have laced your clothes with itching powder.”
Thalia gasped, scandalized. “You wouldn’t dare.”
“I absolutely would,” I scoffed, then turned to Alice with a wicked grin. “Besides, Princess, you were long overdue for a wardrobe upgrade anyway. I saw your pink lingerie. It was so old-fashioned, even my grandma wouldn’t have worn it.”
Alice’s face suddenly turned redder than her hair. And for the first time since we were kids, I actually heard her stutter. “O-Oh… um, Sammy, that wasn’t mine.”
I blinked.
Then blinked again.
Then slowly turned to Willem.
He was pointing behind me, barely holding in a fit of silent laughter.
I started sweating.
And turned — very, very slowly — to Thalia.
She was pinching the bridge of her nose, looking equal parts embarrassed and angry while muttering, “I’m going to kill him,” on repeat.
…Oh.
That was hers.
“Fuck,” I cursed, mortified. “Now I’m the one traumatized.”
Thankfully, Alice cleared her throat and, in a rare act of mercy, redirected the conversation.
“Anyway,” she said, brushing her braids over one shoulder, “we came looking for you.”
“Oh, joy,” I deadpanned. “Let me guess. You missed me?”
Willem gave me finger guns. “Every second, bestie!”
Thalia groaned. “No one missed you. We’re here to warn you.”
“About what?” I asked, narrowing my eyes. “Because if it’s a fight you guys are after, you’ll have to wait at least until tomorrow’s test. I have plans tonight. Mostly involving sleeping and not talking to any of you.”
Thalia sneered. “Oh, don’t worry. You’ll get that fight as well. But for now, we’re here to inform you that we’ve decided the rules for the title match you promised us.”
“Rules?” I raised an eyebrow.
I’d assumed she’d go for a good old-fashioned one-on-one. Or maybe a chaotic three-way brawl.
But if she was talking about rules, then clearly, something was brewing. She had something else in her mind.
“According to Academy regulations,” Thalia began explaining smoothly, “if the Ace challenges a Cadet with the title on the line, the Cadet gets to choose the format of the match.”
“I’m aware,” I replied, growing more curious to see where this was going now.
Alice picked it up from there. “So instead of a duel… we’ve chosen a mock war.”
I froze for a second. “A… mock war? As in, we gather Cadets and appoint them as soldiers and generals?”
Willem grinned. “Oh, no, Sammy. Where’s the fun in that? Instead, the Cadets will choose us. Voluntarily. It’s basically a vote. They’ll decide who they want as their Ace, and whoever they pick… that’s who they’ll fight for in the mock war.”
I clenched my jaw, trying — and utterly failing — to look unfazed.
This was… bad.
Very bad.
Because these three buffoons would be fighting together.
While I’d be fighting alone.
And given my ‘charming’ reputation, I doubted anyone would want to rally behind me.
Alice and Willem were grinning now — clearly enjoying the subtle panic bleeding onto my face.
Thalia chuckled. “Oh, you get it now, don’t you? There are around four hundred nobles and gentry in our batch. They’ll fight for us. We’ve already made sure of it. And that’s our minimum force. Then there are the commoners — some will flock to us for favor, others out of sheer hatred for you. So even if your reputation wasn’t already in cinders… we’d still outnumber you.”
…Ah, damn it.
She wasn’t wrong.
Even if I hadn’t burned half the bridges at the Academy, these three would still have commanded more Cadets.
This wasn’t a battle. It was a trap.
A setup.
A checkmate before the first move.
If it had been one-on-one match — hell, even three-on-one — I could’ve handled it.
Maybe they knew that. Maybe they knew I still had a shot, even against all three of them coming at me together.
So instead of taking the risk… they changed the rules.
After all, why gamble on a fair fight when you can rig the whole game in your favor?
I swallowed hard and forced a scornful smile. “Really, Lia? This is your master plan? Hiding behind numbers? And here I thought you had more faith in yourself.”
Thalia’s smile returned — a slow, venomous thing that never touched her eyes.
“Oh, I do have faith. That’s why I’m using every advantage available to me. I’m also exploiting your greatest weakness — your isolation. You remember what you said after winning that ten-on-one title match? ‘Death won’t ask you for your name or titles.'” She tilted her head mockingly. “But in real war, it’s not about lone heroes. It’s about armies. A king without an army is just a fool with a crown. And with the whole world against you… you’ll fall.”
“Ouch,” Willem winced theatrically, clutching his chest. “She turned your own words against you, Sammy. That’s gotta hurt.”
Alice’s voice was softer, but no less smug. “And don’t act like you wouldn’t have done the same thing if the roles were reversed.”
“I wouldn’t have,” I said, straightening my back. “Because I don’t need to.”
That earned me a trio of skeptical stares.
“Sure you’ll say that now,” Alice muttered.
Willem smirked. “You sure you don’t want to beg a little? Maybe cry a little? Your pity sobs were kinda charming when we were kids.”
I met their eyes — one by one. No snark. No smile.
Just calm indifference.
“Thanks for the warning,” I said flatly. “You’ve done your homework. I’ll give you that.”
Willem arched a brow. “But—?”
“No but,” I said, shaking my head. “You’re right. My pride and arrogant demeanor has isolated me. I’m hated. That’s why I’ll be outnumbered… And none of that will still be enough to save you. I’ll still win.”
They went quiet all of a sudden.
Just a flicker of hesitation flickered in their eyes.
Barely there.
But I caught it.
Thalia let out a low laugh, reached into her coat, and pulled out a cigarette. “God, I’m going to enjoy shattering that overconfidence of yours.”
With that, she began to walk past me.
Then stopped.
Turned to me.
And held out the cigarette.
“Smoke?” she asked.
I stared at her. “No. I quit before coming to the Academy.”
“…Oh? I see,” she said, surprised. A thoughtful look crossed her face as she dropped the cigarette to the ground — and crushed it beneath her heel. “Then I’ll quit too.”
And just like that, she walked off.
Alice blinked. “Wait— what was that?”
I didn’t hear the rest.
I just stood there, letting the silence close in around me.
A mock war, huh?
She really outplayed me.
She put aside her pride. Calculated my faults. Found the surest path to victory — and took it.
“Fine,” I muttered, turning and walking away.
Alone.
Silent.
But completely certain.
Let them have their numbers.
Let them have their plans.
Let them laugh.
They wouldn’t be laughing when the war starts.
And when it ends…
They’d never laugh again.