Chapter 3 - New Semester

“And Charlene?” The duke asked his personal aide, Camon, but the latter only shook his head. Duke Alphonse puts down his fountain pen and stares at the moon. 

It is another cold night in the country, winter truly is on its way, and monster subjugation should be in a week from now — but all this could be the very least of his concern.

“How could the goddess be so cruel to my child, Camon?” Duke Alphonse looked at the moon with worry and sadness as he recalled how the reports about Charlene’s stay in the academy went on.

After hearing the situation from his second son, Harry, he immediately had Camon investigate the whole situation. 

Charlene is getting bullied not just by the werewolves but even by the other races that she comes in contact with. There was no reason for them to bully her, she’s one of the noblest bloodlines in the Lightcrest Kingdom, but the academy doesn’t really take that into account.

All that matters is ability and strength. Though Charlene is exceptional when it comes to her education, she’s weak. She might be a tad stronger than normal humans, but Charlene is hanging by a thread when it comes to werewolves.

“Is there any news about her condition?”

“We have talked with mages from another kingdom, but even they could not comprehend why she could not manifest her wolf. My lord, this might be rude to ask, but is Lady Charlene truly a werewolf?” 

Camon stares at the silent figure of his master. Alphonse looked at him, and it brought shivers down his spine. Camon swallowed the lump in his throat and looked down. 

“That was a slip of tongue, my lord. She possesses the qualities of a werewolf. I know that for sure… there is no way I could not have known that,” Camon’s voice slowly lowered as he recalled the incident when the young lady was still a child.

He could not erase the memory from his head, no matter how long it had been. The fiery and fierce eyes that the five-year Charlene emitted. Her overwhelming aura when she tried protecting her older sister, who was being bullied by other noble children back then.

If the Crown Prince wasn’t around at the time, no one knows what could have unraveled from the rage of the young child.

“Go and tell Charlene that if she would not leave for the academy tomorrow, I’d make her drop out,

“But my lord, you know how much it meant for her to acquire—”

Camon once again shut his mouth when his master looked at him. He could not look at the duke’s eyes. It was as if his lord’s eyes were enough for him to cower in fear. Camon had been serving the duke since they were young.

“I will relay your message, my lord,” Camon excused himself, leaving the duke in that dark room lit only by the moonlight.

‘I wish you could show her how much you care, my lord,’

Charlene looks over the campus journals that contain ‘Prince Adhler’ in them. She furrows her brows when she sees the Lycan Prince with her brother, Adolphus, and with the Crown Prince, Galien Abel.

“They were close?” she muttered. Charlene quickly hid the journals under her desk when a knock came on the door. She sniffed the air and smelled a familiar scent.

“Come in,” Charlene instructed when she recognized her father’s aide.

Charlene stood up and went to her bed, where her belongings were being kept. Her eyes landed on the forest green eyes of Camon, and she stared at them for a while. 

“You don’t have to force me. It’s not like I have a choice,” Charlene told him before Camon could even tell her about the lord’s words. Camon sighed and bowed.

“Greetings, my lady. I am here to inform you that you are to depart this afternoon,”

“He does not want to waste any time, huh? Is he finally trying to show how much he wants to rid of his disgrace of a daughter?”

“That’s not it—”

“You do not have to defend him, Camon. I know my father. He dislikes it when the family name is tarnished. I must be a pain in the neck to him,” Charlene coldly muttered as she hastes to put her belongings inside her baggage.

Camon could only stay silent. He knew that Charlene would not listen to whatever he had to say. She had already made up her mind that her father saw her as a disappointment. 

‘Truly, that is not the case, my lady,’ Camon helped her lift her things until they reached the ground floor. 

Harry had already left for the monsters subjugation. He had to go with Adolphus if he wanted to take part in it. 

Only Ashina and their mother, Charlotte, are left in the mansion. 

“Mother, Ashina,” Charlene greeted them with a smile. Camon stared at the young lady from behind, but he silently followed her.

“Do not cause any trouble, Charlene. I heard you’ve been acquainted with the Lycan Prince,” Charlene furrowed her brows. She had mentioned it once to Ashina. Charlene glanced at her sister and saw how the woman was blushing on the side.

‘Jeez, I told her it was because of Louise and that man!’ 

“We just crossed paths in the last banquet, mother. We simply exchanged names,”

“That is exactly how your father and I met, my child,” Charlotte told her, and Ashina burst out laughing.

“That is what I told her, Mom,” Ashina clung her arms to her sister and leaned towards her ears. “Behave yourself, Char. The King dislikes the Lycans,” she giggled and then excused herself to retire to her bedroom.

“Ashina!” Charlene shook her head and then looked at her mother, who was currently staring at her. 

“I have to go, mother—”

“You’ve gone back to calling me ‘mother,’”

Charlene pursed her lips and looked away. “The carriage has been waiting since earlier. I have to go, mom,”

Charlotte kissed Charlene’s forehead and hugged her tight. “Take care of yourself, my child,”

The whole ride to the academy was nothing sort of new to Charlene. When she arrived, eyes gathered around her. Though most were masked with admiration, Charlene knew very well that they hated to be around her.

“Look who’s here,” Kron, a knight from his father’s second order, stepped up and hid Charlene behind his back.

His broad shoulders left Charlene with a feeling of bitterness and belittlement. Charlene tapped his back. Kron looked at her to argue but halted when Charlene looked into his eyes. Kron stepped to the side and watched his master’s daughter stand for herself.

“Why? Are you scared, Mr. First Loser?” Charlene mocked. Silence filled the area. Other students are starting to gather around them, making it more embarrassing for the other party, whom Charlene called a loser.

Diatrus Kembal, from the Kembal Count Family of the Lightcrest Kingdom, holds the second spot in terms of knowledge in Celestia Academy. 

He’s prideful and dislikes it when someone points out that he’s in second place. “Hah! Big word for someone weaker than a werewolf commoner… oh wait, you’re even weaker than a human, isn’t that right?”