CHAPTER 185: THE PRINCESS’S RAGE

{Regina}

~**^**~

The moment I stepped out into the corridor, the chill from the stone floors rose through my shoes and up my legs, grounding me in a strange, almost pleasant way.

The sound of my heels echoed lightly against the polished tiles, each step in rhythm with the quiet thrum of satisfaction curling in my chest as I crossed the courtyard toward the council building.

The kind of serenity that made people believe peace was possible. I almost smiled. I thrived in calm like this, because no one ever expected the storm beneath it.

Forty students are left in the elimination rounds, which means two possibilities are left.

All I had to do was shift the scale a little.

"You’ve already planted the seed," I told myself. "Now, water it."

The corners of my lips curled upward as I imagined the simple elegance of it all. A word here, a warning there — whispered concerns about "unfair methods," about how Elira Shaw was using pressure-point cheats to take down stronger opponents.

No one needed to know I was the source. The rumour would grow legs on its own.

And for the ones she might face next? Well, a little guidance could turn eagerness into aggression.

I could already picture it: the next duels stacked against her, opponents entering the mat with one goal—to make her bleed, to prove they weren’t afraid of the so-called miracle Omega.

If they succeeded, perfect. If they failed, better. The more she won, the more suspicion I could stir about how she managed it.

By the time Founder’s Day came, the professors would already be watching her closely. The council would be questioning her credibility. Even the audience would start doubting.

And when she finally stumbled—because she would, the world would see it.

I reached the steps leading up to the council building and paused, glancing at the intricate crest carved into the door.

The golden moon-and-wolf sigil gleamed faintly under the fading sun, and I caught my reflection there—sharp smile, steady eyes.

"Let her think she’s rising," I mused, brushing a loose strand of hair behind my ear. "The higher she climbs, the further she will fall when I’m done."

Inside, I’d begin the next phase. A casual mention to Soraya or Nyra during tomorrow’s meeting, an oh-so-concerned suggestion to Princess Kaelis about maintaining ESA’s "reputation."

I would even frame it as a protective measure—for the academy, for fairness.

And perhaps I’d have a little conversation with the other remaining contestants. Not as the council secretary, but as a friend—a senior offering them advice on how to stay in the competition. Advice that just happened to include keeping an eye on Elira Shaw’s fighting patterns.

The thought alone made my smirk deepen.

She had been a ghost of ridicule once, the school’s tragic little Omega. Now she thought herself something more.

I opened the door and stepped inside the building, the scent of parchment and ink greeting me. The empty hallway stretched ahead, silent except for my echoing steps.

"Yes," I murmured under my breath, my voice smooth and deliberate, like the slide of a knife across silk. "Let her win again. Let her believe she is unstoppable. The taste of victory will make her fall that much sweeter."

---

The heavy door of the council office creaked faintly as I pushed it open. The faint hum of chatter floated through the air, punctuated by Soraya’s high, melodic voice and Caleb’s low laugh.

The smell of freshly brewed coffee mingled with the faint tang of parchment and ink.

They all looked up when I stepped in—Kaelis, Soraya, Nyra, Caleb, and Thorne. I closed the door softly behind me, my expression composed, my posture easy.

"Regina," Nyra called first, her tone tinged with mischief. "You just missed the entertainment recap of the day."

"Oh?" I asked smoothly, crossing the room toward the long polished desk where Kaelis sat at the head. "Did something interesting happen?"

Nyra grinned, clearly delighted to be the one to deliver the news. "That little Omega won again."

I tilted my head, letting my brows arch delicately. "Elira Shaw?" I said, feigning just the right hint of surprise. "She won again?"

"Mm-hmm," Nyra confirmed, tapping her perfectly manicured nails against the desk. "Against a boy twice her size. Knocked him out cold."

I pressed a hand lightly against my chest and let a soft, practiced laugh escape. "My, she is full of surprises lately."

But inside, I could feel my teeth grind.

Across from us, Soraya sighed dramatically. "Apparently the professors confirmed it as a clean win," she said.

"No disqualifications, no technical faults. And the rumor mill is losing its mind. Everyone’s saying maybe she’s not as weak as we thought."

Before I could reply, the sharp crack of palms hitting wood echoed through the room.

Princess Kaelis had slammed both hands against the desk, her eyes glinting with restrained irritation. She stood abruptly, her chair scraping back against the marble floor.

"That’s enough talk about her," she said, voice taut with something darker than annoyance. "We have more important matters to discuss than some miracle act from a girl who doesn’t even belong here."

No one moved or spoke. Even Soraya went still. Kaelis’ fingers curled slightly against the edge of the desk before she pushed away from it altogether.

Her anger hung in the air like smoke. And without another word, she swept out of the office, her long white cape brushing against the floor, leaving a trail of silence behind her.

For a few seconds, no one dared speak. Then I broke it softly. "What’s gotten into her?"

Soraya was the first to exhale. "She’s just... frustrated," she said, leaning back in her chair.

"It’s bad enough that Elira’s been getting all this attention lately, but if she keeps winning, Kaelis might not be the star of Founder’s Day anymore. You know how she gets when someone else’s name starts to shine brighter than hers."

I let my lips part slightly, feigning a touch of sympathy. "Ah. So it’s not just irritation—it’s competition."

Soraya shrugged, a small, knowing smile tugging at her lips. "Can you blame her? Kaelis is the princess. Founder’s Day is supposed to belong to her. But this little Omega might just steal her spotlight if she makes it into the top ten."

"Or worse," Nyra added, twirling a lock of her hair around her finger. "Imagine if there is a surprise duel between them, and she actually performs better than Kaelis. The press would eat that up."

I smiled faintly, lowering my gaze as I began to straighten a few scattered parchments on the table, my tone light, conversational. "Well, we wouldn’t want that, would we?"

None of them noticed the subtle curve of satisfaction at the corner of my mouth.

Because in truth, Kaelis’ anger was convenient. Predictable, even. I didn’t need to fuel it—it would do the work for me.

All I had to do now was wait and watch as Kaelis’ pride turned into something sharper, something that would make her act without thinking.

And when she did, Elira Shaw would find herself crushed between royal rage and my quiet precision.

Just the way I wanted it.