CHAPTER 11 - THE FIRST DAY 3

Aegis strutted into her second class like she owned the place.

Political Intrigue & Courtly Manners, in other words, the absolute perfect class for someone whose only skill was in speaking.

The classroom looked like a miniature throne room. There were gilded chairs arranged in a circle, portraits of dead nobles judging from the walls. Students filtered in, most looking nervous.

[Time to make another stellar first impression. Duchess Valemont's a key ally in several routes.]

Duchess Valemont entered, and the room straightened. Mid-forties, steel-gray hair in an absolutely massive bun. And she had a smile that never reached her eyes.

Befitting a politician, of course.

"Welcome to Political Intrigue." Her voice dripped honey. "First lesson: half of politics is knowing when to speak. The other half is knowing when to let others hang themselves with their own words."

Several students gulped. Aegis grinned.

"Today, we begin with mock debates." Valemont waved her hand. Names appeared on the board, paired off. "You'll argue assigned positions on Valdrian law. Performance determines your initial ranking."

Aegis scanned for her name. In the game, she was paired up against some lesser, haughty noble. This was, after all, pretty much the debating tutorial before she'd go up against the bigger threats, like, for example-

[Oh, you've got to be kidding me.]

AEGIS STARCALLER vs TALIA STONE

Topic: Noble Council Leadership Eligibility

She stared at the names and blinked.

[... It's like the universe wants me to mess with her more. I mean, I'll do it, but damn.]

"Starcaller, you'll argue for expanding council eligibility to commoners." Valemont's eyes glinted. "Princess, defend traditional noble exclusivity."

Talia's jaw clenched.

"Of course, Duchess."

They took positions at opposite podiums. The class leaned forward, like sharks smelling blood in the water.

"Ladies, begin."

Talia launched into her argument immediately. It was... not bad, given the position she had to defend. Bloodline purity, centuries of tradition, the divine right of nobility, every point delivered like a dagger.

That said...

[She's not completely on point, though. Why is that?]

In-game, Talia was far more fluid in her delivery. Calm. Less roaring lion, more slithering snake. This version, though...

"—and therefore, allowing commoners into positions of power would destabilize the very foundation of Valdrian society!" Talia's yellow eyes burned. "The council exists to preserve order, not indulge fantasies of equality!"

Polite applause. Several nobles nodded.

Aegis kept her face neutral.

[She's trying too hard,] Aegis summed up. [Have I gotten that far into her head?]

She smiled.

[Well... She's definitely going to like me even less after this.] Aegis stepped forward. [Time to blow their minds with obscure game lore.]

"Fascinating argument, Your Highness." Aegis's grin turned wicked. "Shame it ignores Valdria's actual history."

Talia's eyes narrowed.

"Excuse me?"

"Four hundred years ago, Queen Rosanna the Wise sat on Valdria's throne." Aegis paced, letting her voice carry. "Born to a baker. Raised in poverty. Yet she unified the warring duchies and established the modern tax system that funds this very academy."

Whispers erupted. Talia's face went pale.

[Thank you, hidden lore from the collector's edition artbook~ Best hundred bucks I ever spent!]

"That's... that's ancient history," Talia sputtered.

"So?" Aegis pressed on. "It's proof that competence matters more than blood. Queen Rosanna appointed commoners to her council. Under her rule, Valdria experienced its greatest golden age."

"One exception doesn't—"

"Duke Xarus of Westhold? Son of a merchant. Lady Eralie of the Eastern Marches? Daughter of a scribe." Aegis counted on her fingers. "Should I continue listing the commoner-born nobles who built the very foundations of the society upon which we stand today?"

The room had gone silent. Even Valemont looked impressed.

"But here's the real question." Aegis moved closer to Talia's podium. "If noble blood automatically confers wisdom, why do we need this academy? Why train inheritors if greatness flows through their veins, already?"

Talia's mouth opened. Closed. Her hands gripped the podium.

"Perhaps," Aegis's voice softened, "greatness isn't in our blood at all. Perhaps it's about the courage to serve. And the wisdom to lead."

[Time for the finisher. Sorry, Liora, I'm gonna have to steal your best line from the game, for this one.]

Aegis turned to address the whole room, spreading her arms wide.

"Power isn't in blood! It's in the heart that dares to DREAM!"

The silence lasted three heartbeats.

Then someone started clapping. Another joined. Soon the entire room erupted. Even some nobles applauded grudgingly.

Aegis bowed. Her hair fell in front of her face, shielding it from most people. She caught Talia's eye and, hidden from everyone else by her hair...

"Hehe." Aegis stuck out her tongue between her teeth, smirking and winking.

Talia's face went from pale to crimson. Magic crackled around her fingers.

[Well, if she snaps and actually just kills me, which she absolutely has the raw magical power to do... It will have been worth it.]

"Excellent work, Miss Starcaller." Valemont's approval cut through the noise, before Talia could burn Aegis to ashes. "A masterful use of historical precedent and emotional appeal."

"Thank you, Duchess."

"Princess, your argument was technically sound but failed to foresee your opponent's basic emotional appeals." Valemont's smile was sharp. "You need foresight to come out ahead in politics."

Talia bowed stiffly.

"I understand, Duchess."

"Class dismissed. Read Chapters three through seven on coalition building."

Students filed out, buzzing with gossip. Aegis's HUD lit up:

[FACTION REPUTATION GAINED]

[Commoner Faction: +15 (Friendly)]

[House Valemont: +5 (Neutral → Interested)]

[WARNING: Princess Talia's Hostility Increasing]

[New mechanic unlocked. Nice. Though I should probably stop antagonizing my favorite girl.]

"..."

Aegis blinked.

"....."

[Oh, who am I kidding? Her angry face is adorable.]

---

{Talia}

Talia's hands shook as she watched that insufferable commoner leave. Quoting Queen Rosanna? And that tongue—

"Quite the performance."

She spun. Varyn Duskbane leaned against the doorway, violet eyes amused.

"Lord Duskbane."

"Please, we're all equals here." His smile didn't reach his eyes. "Though some seem more equal than others."

Talia took a slow breath.

"If you have a point—"

"She's cheating." Varyn pushed off the wall. "Apologies for interrupting you, Your Highness, but no commoner knows that much history. Someone's feeding her information."

Talia hesitated.

It did seem possible. After all, a commoner like her, with perfect scores, perfect answers, perfect arguments...?

"You think a noble is helping her?"

"Obviously." Varyn moved closer. "The question is who. And why."

"To humiliate me." The words came out bitter. "Clearly. Some revolutionary peasant who wants to get a few over on the future Duchess of Rosevale."

"Mm. Or, it could be the noble's plan to use her as a proxy." Varyn's voice dropped. "Think about it. A charming commoner who challenges the system? Perfect puppet for someone with radical ideas."

Talia gave it some thought.

[He's right. This has to be a conspiracy.]

"What do you propose?"

"Hm?"

"Oh come on," Talia sighed. "Clearly, you approached me because you have some course of action in mind. Out with it."

"I have... resources." Varyn's smile turned predatory. "Ways of uncovering secrets. But, well, you've got far more than I do. The one resource I do have in abundance, which you are quite scarce in, is... free time."

"I'm listening."

"Let's make a public alliance, and I will conduct a private investigation." He circled her. "Investigating the commoner prodigy yourself would be bad for optics. So, allow me to do all the dirty work. We work together to expose whoever's behind the commoner's rise. Once we prove she's a fraud..."

"She's expelled." Talia's eyes hardened. "And her patron is exposed."

"Exactly." Varyn extended his hand. "Partners?"

Talia stared at his hand.

As a princess, making alliances so flippantly was dangerous. But the humiliation of losing to that commoner...

[That smug smile. That tongue. That wink.]

She shook his hand.

"Partners. For now." She narrowed her eyes at him. "Fail to produce results, and I will pretend like I don't even know you exist."

To an aspiring noble house like the Duskbanes, that fate was worse than death.

"Excellent." Varyn's grip was firm. "We'll start with her background. No orphan appears from nowhere."

"Agreed. I'll have my own people investigate the scholarship records."

"And I'll handle her current activities." His smile widened. "Everyone has secrets, Princess. Even clever commoners."

They parted ways. Talia headed for her next class, mind racing.

[I'll expose you, Aegis Starcaller. Whatever game you're playing, whoever's pulling your strings... I'll find out. And then we'll see who's laughing.]

The image of Aegis's tongue flashed through her mind. Heat rushed to her face.

[Insufferable. Absolutely insufferable!]