CHAPTER 14: MANHATTAN’S KING & QUEEN

They maintained eye contact for a while before Godfrey shrugged.

"It’s fine," he said, almost walking past them when Siegfried grabbed him. His skin hardened, transforming into green jade, and he slammed Godfrey against the wall.

A malicious grin spread across his face as he leaned close.

"I’m not done with you. You’ll pay for that punch."

Godfrey raised an eyebrow, recalling the cafeteria fight where Isolde had helped him nullify Siegfried’s connection to his summon.

Siegfried chuckled softly, towering over him with his lean, wolfish physique. His dark-blue school jacket stretched tight across his muscles.

"Where’s your pretty knight? I’d love to see him save your pitiful—"

"Get off."

Godfrey’s cold reply made Maldred, standing behind Siegfried with his hands buried in his pockets, chuckle. A vein popped on Siegfried’s temple.

Godfrey grabbed his arm and wrenched it off, shocking Siegfried. He was about to clench his fist when a sharp sting ran up his wrist where Godfrey held.

Then their eyes met again. Siegfried froze. His bravado faltered. Godfrey’s gaze wasn’t the same as before – it was predatory, sharp, the eyes of someone who had killed and survived battles where death lingered close.

Just where had Godfrey been for the past three weeks?

As he turned to walk away, Maldred lunged, only to be halted by Snow’s command. "Let him go. Fights should wait for the competition in a few days."

Snow’s narrowed eyes followed Godfrey’s departing figure. "We’ll have the opportunity to teach some people their places."

His lips curled faintly. He already sensed the change in Godfrey. Clearly, the boy had entered a dungeon. But it didn’t matter, the disparity between their summons was too great.

And in a few days, once the competition began, Godfrey would learn the harsh truth: that talent and hard work weren’t equal. Hard work, adored by the weak, only sharpened the advantage of the strong.

"Why did you leave him?" Maldred scoffed. Siegfried shoved him aside, glaring at Godfrey’s back.

"I’ll kill you."

***

The moment Godfrey stepped into the classroom, he spotted Dale sitting on a desk, surrounded by a cluster of boys and girls. Other students kept to themselves, reading, scrolling on their phones, or napping.

His eyes passed over them and locked onto the girl he’d been chatting with for the past three weeks; Isolde.

She leaned against the window frame, EarPods in both ears, lost in rhythm as she stared outside. But when Godfrey drew back his chair and sat, as if pulled by an invisible thread, she turned.

Without thinking, Godfrey expected her beautiful smile to brighten his day, as it always had in their chats. But instead, Isolde frowned.

His chest tightened. His heart pounded once, loudly.

Then, removing her EarPods, she rose gracefully, placed one hand on his desk, and brushed his blonde hair back with her manicured fingers.

Her glossy lips curled into a pout. "You got into a fight, didn’t you? Your hair’s ruffled, hiding those nice blue eyes of yours."

When she finished rearranging it, a proud smile lit her porcelain face.

"There’s the pretty face I haven’t seen for three weeks."

Godfrey chuckled.

That smile, Dale wanted nothing more than to rip it off his face. His jaw clenched, his expression darkening.

"Dale’s not happy. Look at his face!" some students whispered.

"Is that surprising? Isolde’s the only second year invited into the Nexus Club and crowned queen in her first month! Even the fourth years acknowledge her as Manhattan’s greatest talent."

"She’s hot property. Dale’s not the only one after her, even the Numbered in the Nexus Club, the top upperclassmen, have their eyes on her."

At another desk, Cecil’s eyes narrowed. The word "King Tier" flashed in her mind whenever she looked at Godfrey. Even if it was just a rumour, why had it come from the lips of the woman who assessed summons upon awakening?

She had to dig deeper. As the school’s news writer, this story was too juicy to ignore. If the rumour was wrong, Godfrey would be ruined. But if it was true... she’d expose the biggest secret Manhattan’s staff was hiding.

Not that she cared about him, whether he was crushed or not was irrelevant.

Just then, Snow strode into the classroom with his lackeys, his expression shifting when he saw Isolde leaning casually on Godfrey’s desk.

Manhattan’s Queen!

He clenched his fist. How could she humiliate the entire school by leaving her seat to stand by the desk of a humanoid summoner?

Teacher Edwin walked in right after and stood at the lectern.

"Apologies, I spilled coffee on my shirt. That’s why I’m twenty minutes late." His tone was flat as he dramatically cleared his throat and flipped open his notes.

"With the competition around the corner, the one that will decide your points and possibly the next valedictorian, all rests on your summons. Today’s topic: innate and adaptive skills."

He paused, scanning the room. "I’ll focus on adaptive skills, since innate ones are fixed from the moment your summon manifests. So..."

Godfrey zoned out, as did his partner in crime, Isolde.

***

Later, Godfrey walked into the cafeteria side by side with Isolde, his hands buried in his pockets. She ordered chocolate cake for both of them, along with a few extras, and they carried the tray to a corner table.

"You’ve been to a dungeon, haven’t you?" Godfrey asked once they sat.

Isolde lifted an eyebrow. "What makes you say that?"

"The moment I saw Snow, you, and Dale, I understood what set you apart from the rest. You’ve faced life-and-death battles. You’ve forged stronger bonds with your summons."

Isolde took a small bite of her cake, savouring the sweetness before answering. "You’re saying you understand why people like us look down on others like they’re insignificant?"

"The difference was obvious the moment I stepped in," Godfrey replied. "It’s like a fully grown dog against a puppy. By the way... I’ve been meaning to ask. The wyvern isn’t your only summon, is it?"

"Oh?" Isolde stopped eating. "And what makes you think that?"

"Wyverns can’t cut a summoner’s bond with their summon, or banish the mana that strengthens the summoner’s body. You’d have to be incredibly strong with such a summon."

"I’m an 8.5 summoner," she said simply.

Godfrey’s pupils shrank. "What? You—"

"Lost your courage?" she teased.

Godfrey leaned back, eyes burning with determination. Once he opened the second door...

"I’m still coming for the valedictorian."

His declaration echoed across the cafeteria just as a strange silence fell.

Turning his head, he saw a silver-haired, handsome boy enter, with a dark-haired Asian student at his side.

"Is Godfrey insane? He says that on the very day of this semester Manhattan’s King decides to visit the cafeteria?" a student whispered in disbelief.

....

A/N: I hope you enjoy this novel. Support by adding to your library and giving a power stone or two. Thank you.

I will also appreciate a review to keep me motivated.