[Julian’s POV]

A tray clattered against the marble, the sharp sound echoing like a death sentence passed. Food scattered in disgrace across the polished floor, staining the academy’s pristine elegance.

The boy who was responsible for the mess stood paralyzed, fingers trembling as if to undo what had already been done.

Panic surged in him, not from his fall, but from what will happen next to him.

The trembling scholar’s robes bore the faded insignia of an obscure house — one whose name barely left a memory, let alone respect within Velthia’s exalted halls.

Here, lineage was supremacy and he had none to offer. 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

Meanwhile, before him was none other than Julian Rozenberg. His mere presence, unmarred by emotion, was judgment enough.

The tension grew heavy, with a scorn colder than words. Julian remained motionless, still as a blade. His eyes, cold and unblinking rubies, lingered on the blot of spillage that had dared mar the purity of his uniform.

He said nothing and did nothing.

But that made it even worse.

The Dining Hall froze, suspended in a silence so quiet that it could snap the whole hall into collapsing.

Everyone was staring at both of them.

Then, Julian slowly lifted his gaze.

A single breath escaped him.

With the poise of one long accustomed to power, he reached to the side and retrieved a napkin. He dabbed at the stain with a composed elegance that felt far more terrifying than fury ever could.

The boy stammered, hands trembling as if even they sought to flee. And finally, he brought the courage to speak.

"Sorry... I–I didn’t mean to—"

"Didn’t mean to?" Julian echoed the words with quiet contempt, as he folded the napkin and set it aside.

The boy’s breath quickened.

The silence stretched, coiling tighter. But before Julian could say anything, could do anything to the boy sitting in front of him...

A calm voice rang out first.

"I’ll take responsibility."

A female scholar rose from the nearby table, her bearing steady, her tone devoid of hesitation, and her mesmeric amethyst eyes bore into his.

’This woman again? What the hell is wrong with her?’

Julian’s gaze sharply snapped toward her.

He recognized her instantly.

And how could he not? The very same woman who had dared to oppose him during the joint session with Class E. The very same common-born scholar who, with such audacity, had enrolled in Noble Etiquette without shame.

Violet.

A feeling of unease coursed through the crowd as whispers bloomed.

"Is she insane?"

"What is she doing? Does she have a death wish, confronting Julian like that?"

"Another foolish spectacle from Class E... as expected, very pathetic."

Julian allowed the murmurs to fester, his silence giving them space to breed. Only after savoring the unrest did he study Violet with a dissecting interest.

’Hmm... there is venom in her gaze this time and directed at me, no less.’

Julian smiled viciously.

’How amusing.’

Then, slowly, he stepped forward.

"Responsibility?" he repeated, the word rolling off his tongue with amused disdain. His lips curled into something that might have been a smile, if it weren’t so void of warmth.

"And how exactly do you intend to take responsibility?"

Across the hall, every Class E scholar fidgeted in growing unrest. Their eyes flicked between her and the lion before her, unsure if they should intervene or simply pray for her wellbeing.

Class A, on the other hand, merely observed, as though watching the prelude to an inevitable downfall.

But not all.

The Scions of Class A — Calyra, Rosalin, and Irene — sat in still, watchful silence.

Rosalin, in particular, felt tension coil within her. Violet was her teammate. And she had just placed herself directly beneath the lion’s shadow.

Julian tilted his head slightly. His next words came soft, casual, almost like a suggestion.

"No answer?"

He shrugged, the gesture elegant in its apathy.

"Ha, then allow me to offer one for you."

He met her gaze, and without raising his voice, he issued his decree...

"Kneel."

He looked at the boy again.

"You as well."

Finally, a person rose, the scrape of her chair sharp against the floor.

Her voice cut through the tension.

"That’s enough."

However, Julian didn’t so much as flinch.

’Now... who is it this time?’

He shifted only slightly, just enough to glance over his shoulder at the mysterious voice.

’Ah... it’s the daughter of the Varion Knight Order.’

Rosalin Varion.

Julian dejectedly sighed.

"Commoners like them should know their place, don’t you think?" he said, his tone light. "Or... don’t tell me that you have also started to believe otherwise, Lady Rosalin?"

Hearing that, Rosalin’s eyes burned brighter.

Previously, during the Noble Etiquette elective, she had already remained quiet when Violet was being treated unfairly by the instructor and the whole scholars that attended the elective.

So this time... she won’t remain silent anymore.

The red-haired girl clenched her fists and stepped forward, wanting to stop Julian before things became worse.

But the moment she moved, something strange happened.

Suddenly, she felt a heavy force pressed around her body from nowhere.

The mysterious force was not rough, yet it was impossible to resist, gently holding her in place while stopping all her movement.

Her next step never came.

Rosalin’s face changed in confusion.

’W-why can’t I move?’

She tried to force her legs forward again, but nothing happened. It was as if invisible chains had wrapped around her body. Or to be more precise, someone had cast an unseen magic upon her.

And while she stood frozen, Violet lowered herself slowly, her amethyst eyes glowed.

Her knees touched the marble floor.

Beside her, the trembling boy also dropped to his knees. His movements looked stiff and unnatural, almost as if his body was being controlled to match hers.

Many students stared in shock.

Julian turned his attention back to Violet, as the whole hall was watching her now, the pressure of countless eyes falling on her kneeling figure.

For a moment, Julian only looked at her.

Then, he smiled.

A slow, chilling smile.

"I was prepared to deal with one careless insect who dared to spill food on me, and yet another crawled forward to offer herself beside him."

His eyes rested on Violet coldly.

He let out a faint breath, almost like a laugh.

"I don’t really understand. You saw your classmate make a fool of himself, but instead of staying where you are, you stepped... forward? Did you seriously think that by presenting yourself, you could somehow redeem his failure."

His lips curved.

"Ha! I really can’t take this."

His gaze moved briefly to the trembling boy.

Then back to Violet.

"I will give you this though, it is entertaining. There is something almost admirable in how seriously you commoners take these little gestures of believing that standing up for one another would change something."

"But what was the plan after that?" he asked.

"What happened after you offered yourself in his place? That I soften? That I will praise your courage? And the whole hall would applaud for your bravery?"

A quiet chuckle escaped him.

"Seriously... every time I think your class cannot embarrass itself any further, you came out and proved me wrong."

Some scholars from Class E looked uneasy.

Julian looked at Violet again.

He couldn’t see the look on her face, but she still seemed to be unshaken.

Because of that, unknownly, Julian was a bit curious as to why this girl always stood up against him. Why always her? What was her goal?

Why was she so obsessed with him?

’Still, why should I be bothered with it?’

Then he slowly turned and looked across the whole Dining Hall.

The smile on his face disappeared.

His expression became cold.

Very cold.

Then, his voice echoed through the hall.

"Well then," he mused, "since courage seems contagious today, is there anyone else eager to step forward for those two, as well?"

His crimson eyes moved across the silent students as silence filled the hall.

For a brief moment, no one moved. No one dared to speak. Even the faint murmur of the surrounding hall seemed to recede.

However... the tension finally gave away when the sound of the chair shifted.

Several heads turned towards the source of the sound.

Then, like snowfall untouched by wind, a lone figure of long white hair rose from her seat.

At the sight of her, the hall fell into reverent silence.

Calyra Arcanis had stepped into the dispute.

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[Chapter 135: Chaos in the Dining Hall (4)]