Chapter 15

Chapter 15

The light from the chandeliers sparkled, illuminating the ballroom.

A low murmur filled the air.

Students dressed in colorful dresses and formal suits were engaged in social activities.

Though the venue was originally established for international trade, diplomatic exchange, and external events, students were allowed to rent the space under certain conditions.

The fee was fifty gold coins—half the usual price.

Even so, it was an amount that even nobles would find burdensome to spend on a single night, but the level of convenience provided was commensurate with the exorbitant cost.

Dozens of servants were stationed for the event, and even the food…

Every element necessary for a party was prepared as a standard.

The tables were lined with various dishes from different nations.

There were potato gnocchi smothered in white sauce and thinly sliced salami made from salted pork.

The aroma of lemon and the rich scent of butter from the plump sole meunière made the mouths of those passing by water.

Khal, leaning against the terrace railing and watching the scene, twirled some truffle pasta onto his fork and brought it to his mouth.

“Exorbitantly extravagant,” he muttered.

Lily, swirling a glass of red wine, let out a soft chuckle.

“I never could have imagined a world like this before coming here.‐

“Never imagined it?”

“Didn’t I tell you? I’m just an ordinary commoner.”

“I don’t think telling people that will do you any favors,” Khal remarked, his curiosity shifting from the party to Lily.

Lily took a sip of her wine and gave a bitter smile.

“Why? Are you going to discriminate against me now because I’m ‘lowborn’?”

“I’ve never thought of you as lowborn.”

At Khal’s blunt rebuttal, Lily burst into laughter.

“Hohoho! You sound exactly like Eri.”

“I only categorize people as either allies or enemies.”

“Well, that sounds like you’re calling me an ally, so I’m relieved.”

Lily gave a refreshing smile and tucked away the hair fluttering in the wind. Khal caught a glimpse of the bitterness hidden behind her locks before shifting his gaze away.

“By the way, where is the star of this party?”

“Eri is popular, so she’s probably wandering around greeting people.”

“Who exactly is that woman?”

“…?”

Lily looked at Khal with a puzzled expression. It was rare for him, someone who seldom showed interest in others, to ask such a question.

Detecting the meaning behind her gaze, Khal crossed his arms.

“No hidden motive. I just thought she wasn’t an ordinary woman.”

“Trying to figure out someone’s identity here is a taboo.‐

Lily warned him with a wary look, as if making sure no unexpected accidents would occur.

“Are friends not allowed to know?”

When Khal countered, Lily couldn’t help but furrow her fine eyebrows.

“I don’t want to know.”

“Why?”

“Because I feel like if I find out, the worlds Eri and I live in will split apart.”

They were friends now because they stood on equal footing, but in this world, knowing someone’s status could quickly drive a wedge between them.

“Complicated.”

“That’s just how the world is. Now, let’s head inside. It’s Eri’s birthday; we have to give her her gifts.”

Lily let out a small laugh and stepped inside.

“A gift… Hmm.”

Suddenly, Khal’s body stiffened as if he had just realized something. Despite his unfamiliar reaction, Lily immediately deduced the reason.

“Khal, don’t tell me… Did you come to a birthday party without a gift?”

“….”

Instead of answering, Khal remained silent with a troubled expression.

Lily gave a helpless, bitter smile. “Knowing Eri, she won’t complain even if you don’t give her something today. But you should think seriously about what to get her.‐

At her chiding tone, Khal gave a reluctant nod.

‘I don’t really know much about giving things to others.’

For Khal, who had spent his previous life doing nothing but fighting until his entire race was annihilated, the act of giving a gift was an utterly foreign concept.

‘I wonder if this is also related to rehabilitation.’

A short while later.

Khal and Lily entered the ballroom and reached the spot where the crowd had gathered.

“Happy birthday, Eri!”

“Hohoho, thank you. I’m so happy so many of you could come.”

Many were offering their congratulations to the star of the day.

Even among the people in their flamboyant attire, Eri stood out conspicuously. It wasn’t just because she was the guest of honor. Eri had always been a beautiful girl, striking enough to draw everyone’s eyes.

Her shoulder-length blonde hair gave off a calm, soothing vibe, much like moonlight. Her skin was porcelain white, her eyelashes were long, and her emerald eyes sparkled with vitality.

As befitting the lead of the party, she had spared no effort in grooming herself. Glittering jewel earrings, subtle makeup, and a magnificent red dress with frills made her look like a truly enchanting woman.

“…She’s beautiful.”

Even Lily, who spent every day by her side, blushed in admiration.

“Lily!”

Just then, spotting Lily from a distance, Eri marched over.

“Happy birthday. I was stunned because you look so pretty.”

“Oh my, why such high praise? You’re the prettier one.”

“Uugh! You’re teasing me on purpose. I’m going to get mad.”

“No! I’m serious.”

As the two exchanged compliments and bickered, Khal’s eyebrows twitched.

‘Why do they keep saying the same things back and forth?’

Just as he was wondering when the conversation would end…

“Ah, but Lily. What about my gift?”

Eri’s eyes sparkled as she asked. Lily hesitated for a moment before…

“Here.”

She pulled out a carefully wrapped case and handed it over.

“Can I open it?”

“Ye-yeah.”

At Eri’s question, Lily nodded sheepishly, and Eri immediately flipped the case open.

Inside was a very elegant-looking quill pen. Just by looking at it, Eri could tell exactly what it was made of.

“It’s a pen made from a Gryphon feather! Thank you, Lily!”

Gripping the Gryphon Feather Pen, Eri expressed her joy by repeatedly scribbling “I love you!” in the air.

“Stop it, it’s embarrassing,” Lily said, quickly stopping Eri with a flushed face.

Right then.

“A lowly commoner must have struggled quite a bit for that. You didn’t steal it, did you?”

At the voice coming from the crowd, Lily’s expression turned cold. Eri’s reaction was the same.

Looking toward the source of the voice, they saw Frank, who was significantly larger than the others, approaching them.

Eri narrowed her eyes and spoke in a sarcastic tone.

“Oh look, a classmate who wasn’t on the guest list has arrived. How did you get in?”

“They let me in as soon as I showed them the invitation. It was nothing.”

Frank shrugged and glanced at Lily and Khal before turning back to Eri.

“You’re hanging out with people who don’t know their place. You’d be better off associating with us.‐

“The current arrangement is just right. Could you please stay in your lane?”

Eri issued a warning with a smile, but Frank closed the distance without hesitation.

“Don’t give me such a stinging smile. We came all this way to give you a gift, after all.”

As soon as he finished speaking…

Frank’s servants entered, struggling to carry a chest the size of a small child.

*Thud.*

The floor vibrated slightly as they set it down. Everyone watched with curious eyes.

*Creak.*

The treasure chest opened, revealing brilliant gold coins and jewels that sparkled with light.

“Whoa…”

The crowd gasped in awe, and for a moment, a shadow crossed Lily’s face. Eri glared at Frank with sharp eyes.

“…What is this?”

“When all is said and done, the best gift is the most practical and valuable one. You’re worth that much, after all. There’s no need to pretend you like a cheap quill like that.”

Provoked by his words, Eri bit her lower lip and clenched her fist.

“People might mistake this for a bribe. Take it back, Frank.”

It was a gift that was problematic for both the giver and the receiver. The crowd seemed to agree with her reaction, but Frank remained unfazed.

“Hahahaha! No need to be shy. Just take it.”

Eri trembled with rage at the excessive mockery. Lily quickly placed a hand on Eri’s to calm her down.

“Hold it in, Eri.”

At her words, Eri seemed to settle down slightly and began to loosen her grip.

“Finally becoming obedient, I see.”

Frank smirked and turned his attention to Khal.

“So you’re the famous madman who transferred here? You’re smaller than I thought.”

Frank deliberately lowered his posture to taunt Khal. Khal responded with a stoic expression.

“…Are you Deses’s dog?”

The moment Khal said that, the faces of Lily, Eri, and the surrounding crowd turned pale.

The veins on Frank’s forehead throbbed as the insult hit home. Seeing this, Khal realized his wording might have been off.

“Ah, let me correct that. You’re a hunting dog that’s grown fat.‐

“….”

A shadow fell over Frank’s eyes. Sensing the ominous aura, a few people started to slip away.

Frank barely maintained his sanity as he spoke.

“Ah, so you really are a complete psycho. Do you have any idea who you’re provoking right now?”

“Provocation? I was merely stating a fact.”

‘How is this a provocation?’ Khal’s face genuinely seemed to ask that question, causing Frank to burst into laughter.

“Hehehe. Wow, a much more interesting guy than I expected has joined us. I came here today to leave you with a warning.‐

“What warning?”

“As of today, you are an enemy of Sceletus. You know the reason, don’t you?”

“I wonder.”

Even in the face of Frank’s hostility, Khal remained indifferent, crossing his arms. The tension in the air was suffocating. The onlookers, sensing the danger, began to shuffle away to avoid Frank’s notice. It felt as though a bloody brawl, rather than a party, was about to break out.

Sceletus was the most influential among the eight schools, with its foundation rooted in a Black Magic Mana Cultivation Method. Though Frank focused on swordsmanship rather than magic, he was one of the top five strongest students in the school and was known as Deses’s left hand. By offending such a man, Khal’s future seemed grimly predictable.

Finally, unable to watch any longer, Lily stepped between the two, her eyes flashing.

“…This is forced. You’re the ones who picked a fight first.”

“Lowly commoners should stay out of this. You don’t even have the money for medical bills if you get hurt, Second Princess.‐

Lily winced. Although school regulations strictly prohibited disparaging anyone’s status, they didn’t apply to a tyrant like Frank. Deses would always cover up whatever happened anyway.

However, Lily had more courage than most of the weak.

“If you keep this up, I’ll have a showdown with Deses. Will you be okay with that?”

“…Hmm, so that’s how you’re going to play it?”

Frank looked troubled at the mention of Deses. Deses was a person who listened to reason and generally got along well with Lily. In fact, the reason students of Sceletus, including Frank, couldn’t easily lay a hand on her despite their disdain was due to Deses’s strict warning.

“Tsk! I think the greeting was enough. Shall we go?”

Frank finally turned around, muttering, “Annoying girl,” with a dissatisfied look. His gaze remained fixed on Khal until the very end.

“Hmm.”

Khal looked bored for a moment before speaking to Eri.

“Come to think of it, I forgot to bring a gift for you.”

“I don’t think this is the time for that,” Eri replied, looking as if she hadn’t expected anything from the start.

“How do you feel?”

“Terrible. I threw this birthday party, and now my mood is ruined. I feel like smacking the back of that guy’s head.‐

Seeing Eri’s dissatisfied face, Khal spoke cryptically.

“Then, shall I do that instead of a birthday gift?”

“What…?”

Just as she was about to ask what he meant…

*Bam!*

Khal kicked the treasure chest Frank had brought with all his might. The chest slid across the floor and collided violently with Frank’s legs.

“Wha-what?!”

*Crash!*

*Thud!*

Startled by the sudden attack, Frank lost his balance and tumbled over.

“F-Frank?!”

Everyone present turned pale with shock.

*Bang!*

The enraged Frank slammed his fist against the treasure chest.

*Clatter!*

The chest broke, and the gold coins inside scattered all over the floor. He scrambled to his feet and roared at Khal.

“What the hell are you doing!”

Khal curled one side of his mouth into a smirk and uttered a single phrase.

“A strike to the back of the head.”