Skill Forge: Broken Extra Character

Chapter 43: Chapter 43: Clarendon Academy

Two days passed, and the entourage finally arrived at their destination, standing at the grand entrance.

"So, where's the academy?" Evelina asked, curiosity gleaming in her eyes.

"You're looking at it," their guide replied with a hint of pride.

"Are you sure? Because on the way here, I saw a massive building in this vast town. This must be the empire where it's located," Asher noted, his brow furrowed in confusion.

"I hate to burst your bubble, young lord, but this entire place is owned by the academy," the guide explained.

"You don't have to call us 'lord' here. Things could get really hectic," Ray interjected, glancing around to ensure no one was eavesdropping.

"As you wish, my prince," the guide said, bowing slightly.

"Damn it, that's even worse," Ray sighed, exasperated.

"Shall I proceed with the tour? I've already picked a lodge to accommodate all of you until the entrance ceremony," the guide continued.

"Yes, but why don't we wait..." Ray began, only to be cut off.

"Nope, we're not waiting for him," Elora interrupted.

"Get out of my head, you witch! How do you even know what I'm thinking?" Ray exclaimed, both annoyed and surprised.

"It's not mind-reading; your simple-minded brain is just too easy to read," Elora replied with a smug smile.

"That's not true, right? Guys?" Ray turned to his companions for support, but they were engrossed in discussing the lodging arrangements with the guide. "Traitors," he muttered under his breath.

"If he's not here already, he's probably a no-show," Freya added. "He never said he was going to attend the academy in the first place."

As the guide finalized the lodging details with the group, he suddenly remembered something important. "Oh, right. We first need to confirm your arrival at the main campus. I hope you all brought your acceptance letters."

"Of course we did," Asher replied confidently. "Who'd be dumb enough to lose theirs?"

"I can't find mine!" Evelina screamed, frantically searching herself.

"I stand corrected." Asher retraced his words while covering his face in disbelief.

"Did you leave it in the carriage? Maybe you were reading it or something," Freya suggested.

"Or maybe it's in your storage pouch," Matthew added helpfully.

"No, no, no! It's not there. Oh my god, what am I supposed to do now?" Evelina panicked, her eyes wide with worry.

"Check that stupid bunny purse you always carry around, you dummy," Asher said, looking indifferent as if he didn't care much.

"Oh, there it is! Hold on," Evelina exclaimed, relief washing over her. Then it hit her. "Who do you think you're calling a dummy?"

"More importantly, how did you even know it was there, huh?" Morrigan asked, her eyes narrowing suspiciously.

"Yeah, the way you said it was like you already knew," Seraphina pointed out, her curiosity piqued.

'I used my skill [Thieving Sense], but explaining how it works would only put me in a tight spot,' Asher thought. Before he could say anything, Ray spoke up.

"[Thieving Sense], it's a skill exclusive to the rogue class. I used it a lot in WAR BOUND when I played with his specific character. That's probably how he knew," Ray smirked at Asher.

'You moron, you didn't even try to clear the air,' Asher cursed Ray silently, frustration boiling within him.

"So it's a skill for perverts to see what's in a girl's bag?" Elora concluded, cracking her knuckles before throwing a punch at Asher.

Asher dodged with ease, but the punch ended up landing on Ray's face. "Ouch! What was that for?" Ray exclaimed, rubbing his cheek.

"Well, that escalated quickly," Matthew said, watching from a safe distance.

"Hey, um, let's all go rest. The trip was really exhausting, and you all need to cool off," Cedric interjected, stepping between Ray and Elora to prevent further conflict.

"Yeah, we can do the tour thing tomorrow. I'm beat," Freya added, stifling a yawn.

As they walked, a group of students blocked their path.

"Hey, umm, I don't know if you noticed, but we really need you to get out of the way," Ray said, trying to sound polite.

"And why should I listen to a brat from a trash empire?" the boy at the center sneered. He seemed to be the leader of the group.

"Because if you don't, I might have to write a song about how we beat you so badly that your own mother wouldn't recognize you," Aiden said from behind, his tone annoyingly cheerful.

The boy's face twisted in anger. "You've got a big mouth for someone so weak," he growled.

"Well, I've always believed in matching my mouth with my strength," Aiden retorted with a smirk.

The tension in the air thickened as the two groups faced off, each waiting to see who would make the first move.

"Who the hell are you? Do you know who this is? You just insulted the third prince of the Goudy Empire, Prince Edmond Von Goud!" one of Edmond's lackeys shouted.

'Oh? You're just the third?' Ray thought, looking at Edmond with a smug smile. "I apologize for any disrespect I may have shown you. I'll do well not to repeat it in the future."

Edmond couldn't do much at this point since Ray's words made it seem like he had fully surrendered. However, the smug look on Ray's face during the apology infuriated him even more. The fact that he couldn't retaliate made it even worse.

"Tch, let's go," Edmond ordered furiously, stomping away.

Ray could sense the resentment in his companions. He gestured for them to calm down to avoid causing a scene.

"What was that about? And why did you apologize? You didn't even do anything wrong," Evelina asked, clearly upset.

"As much as I'd love to drag his face in the mud and utterly humiliate him, I'm still the prince of an empire. I have to think about the consequences of my actions in times like this," Ray replied.

"So?" Evelina asked, still unconvinced.

"It's a classic cliché in most novels: if I take him down, someone stronger will come for me, regardless of whether my reasons were right or wrong. And if I defeat the next person, someone even stronger will take the lead. Plus, they could find a way to start an international incident using it as an excuse," Ray continued.

"That wouldn't be good if the thing about our empire being considered the weakest is true," Asher pointed out, before turning to tease Ray. "Plus, it would really suck to get expelled for something as dumb as children's banter. I'm impressed you could think that far ahead; I guess your brain isn't completely empty after all."

"You wanna die? Just say so," Ray replied, clenching his fists, rage flashing in his eyes.

"I get it, but do we really need to sit down and take it?" Seraphina said, hopping from side to side, fighting an imaginary foe. "I'm sure we could take down anyone here who tried to go against us at this point."

"I already feel like blasting him down to the deepest part of hell," Aiden said, his voice dripping with malice.

"Yeah, they really tick me off," Cedric added, his fists tightening.

"We're not going to sit down and take it. We're going to crush them physically and mentally," Freya said, feeling more motivated by her annoyance.

"Huh?" Marcella muttered, not particularly caring about the altercation.

"Then I guess it's settled. I, the princess of Verena Kingdom, order everyone present to crush their competition. No one is allowed to hold back. We're going to show them true power," Rosa declared, her voice resolute.

"And they'll never have the confidence to provoke us again. They'll know to fear us. Let's pave the way for all our countrymen at this academy," Matthew added, his eyes burning with determination.

A sudden gust of wind blew through the group, carrying a strange, almost tangible sense of resolve. Ray smirked, feeling the tension in the air shift. "Let's make them regret ever looking down on Verena."

With a nod, the group moved forward, their steps echoing determination. The academy grounds hummed with anticipation, promising future challenges.

As they disappeared into the heart of the academy, the guide watched them go, a mixture of worry and hope in his eyes. 'These kids might just change the balance of power around here,' he thought. 'I sure hope they're ready for what's coming.'

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