Just moments ago, Aurelia had been deeply concerned about her brother's situation, unsure if he could come out victorious without exposing himself. But now, she looked at him with a strange light in her dark eyes.
She had nearly teared up, which would have been comical to anyone watching—Aurelia wasn't one to cry—but in her own mind, she couldn't help it. She had worried about how he would carry himself.
Now, Pyris stood tall and proud amidst a sea of students, each whispering small, impressed compliments that he could clearly hear. The first-years were especially in awe of him. Other students wanted to approach, perhaps even befriend him, but one glance at Ragna's goons was enough to squash any such ideas.
"This guy..." Sitting far from the crowd in a secluded corner, Varalie watched Pyris with a wide, impressed smile. The fact that it was her own brother Pyris had just humiliated didn't bother her in the slightest—she couldn't care less about him. Ragna was a disgrace to the family, after all.
They had long grown accustomed to his actions, which continuously cast a negative shadow over their powerful household. His talents had poisoned his mind, making him believe he was superior to everyone else. In his eyes, others were trash.
"What a thug!" she sneered, her voice filled with disdain. Yet, she couldn't wait to see what their father would do to that disgrace. "Maybe I should be grateful to him, after all. This commotion will anger Dad more than my own quiet and unknown affair. It'll give me the upper hand!" Varalie smirked, realizing that Ragna's blunder far outweighed the scandal of her ruined marriage proposal.
"If anything, Dad might even thank me if he knew who my lover is. This could be the perfect chance to fix the damage Ragna has caused!" She was jubilant but kept the identity of her secret lover to herself.
Ragna's attempt to humiliate the young lady of House Obsidian had gone beyond a mere personal slight. His actions had been enough to cause the mistress of Obsidian to cancel all business dealings with their vampire family, a move that could devastate their economy.
After all, House Obsidian was not only the largest technological giant but also the second-biggest business family in the Mortal Realm. If they severed ties with the vampires, it would be a financial catastrophe.
Worse yet, Ragna had attacked House Obsidian's favorite child—someone who had recently been revealed as the mastermind behind many of Obsidian Tech's most successful projects. That alone could seal the vampires' fate if the news reached Emberly, the formidable matriarch of House Obsidian.
And of course, the academy had already reported the incident—there was no way to hide something of this magnitude when it involved her children.
"That mongrel!" Varalie cursed under her breath. No matter Pyris' position in their family's businesses, he wouldn't be able to save the vampires from the fallout, not even if Varalie begged him to intervene.
"If it had just been a duel, it wouldn't have been an issue. But no, his first move was practically sexual harassment, and then he shamelessly attacked Pyris!" She shook her head, fully aware of the damage her brother had caused. "He's ruined us."
"I hope Aunt Emberly is generous enough not to ban all vampires from the hotel," Varalie muttered. Obsidian Hotel was the closest to the academy and the most prestigious. If Emberly ordered all vampires to vacate, it would be a devastating blow to the vampire students. While other hotels would gladly accept them, none could compare to the grandeur of the Obsidian Hotel.
Emberly had spared no expense in building the only 10-star hotel in the Mortal Realm, located conveniently near the academy. Rich families were, of course, willing to pay any price for their children to stay there and live comfortably.
"Now that I think about it, the hotel is practically filled with students, and no matter how many others might want to stay, Aunt Emberly always prioritizes the students. She's generous like that," Varalie mused.
Emberly's strategy wasn't just about money. By offering students this level of luxury, she cultivated a sense of indebtedness from both parents and students—a loyalty that was paying off handsomely. "So even if she cuts vampires off, she won't suffer a loss. There's a long waiting list, after all." The vampires, on the other hand, would be doomed.
_____
While Varalie was lost in her own musings, the siblings who now held the fate of the vampire family were chatting happily.
"I was impressive, wasn't I, sister?" Pyris grinned, hoping to distract Aurelia from the earlier stress. He didn't want her thinking about what she had gone through before his arrival.
"Mmhmm, you were," she admitted, but quickly added, "What did she give you?" Her voice laced with sudden jealousy. She had seen the interaction with the student president and couldn't help but be curious.
"Jealous, are we?" Pyris teased, swiftly slipping the paper into his pocket as Aurelia made a grab for it.
"I won't ask again!" she threatened playfully.
"Or what?" he grinned, enjoying the banter.
"I'll sleep in my room if you know what I mean," she winked, exerting her usual control over him.
"Darling, you're overreacting. It's just a piece of paper," Pyris tried to brush it off, but her threat had clearly worked on him.
"Give it here!" Aurelia demanded, her expression determined. With a sigh of defeat, Pyris handed over the paper. As she unfolded it, her face twisted in surprise.
"Huh? It's…" she began, prompting Pyris to lean in closer.
"It's blank!" he exclaimed. Was she toying with him? If so, it wasn't working.
[Hey, are you familiar with blank checks?] Lia's voice suddenly rang in Pyris' head, and his eyes widened in realization.
'A blank invitation?' he thought.
[Exactly, she's giving you everything. It's up to you to decide what you take!] Lia clarified.
"See? I told you, it's just a piece of paper," Pyris said, snatching it back before Aurelia could destroy it.
"As if you knew it was blank!" Aurelia didn't believe him for a second. "And why are you keeping it?"
Pyris momentarily froze but quickly recovered. "I don't want to bother you with destroying it. I'll handle that," he said, though she wasn't convinced. Still, she let it slide.
'Ican't lose my ticket now, can I?' Pyris muttered under his breath, ensuring the paper was securely in his pocket.
*****
Power stones dear readers. And I'm waiting for more of your reviews. Let's go to the top guys.