"Absolutely!" Preston and Envira chuckled."Who wouldn't want to join in on a bet with a 1000% chance of winning? Do you realize it's practically impossible even for the entire Deneuve family to reserve the entire Royal Ritz? Do you really think your high-and-mighty Sophia Deneuve can pull it off?""How about this, since we're feeling generous," Preston sneered. "You can start running naked, sparing Sophia the trouble. Then, we can annul the bet.""Why annul the bet?" Envira protested, her voice oozing disdain. "I want that woman to face the humiliation.""Both of you are so disgusting," Alex suddenly interrupted, his voice heavy with disappointment. "I don't know what your past with Sophia is, but I've never met people as despicable as you both. You two better get out of this building now."Preston and Envira laughed mockingly. "What? Now the toilet fixer wants to act tough? You're the one who should leave this building, or I'll call my father to have the guards kick you out.""Let m
“Grace Cecil!” George stood abruptly, his eyes burning with anger.“What game do you think you're playing? Do you believe you have the power to fire me? I will rally my people to demonstrate and remove you from your position as General Manager.”“Really?” Grace Cecil shocked. “Well, how about this? There are 56 people here. If you can get more than half of these people to support you, I won’t fire you. I might even consider stepping down.”“Keep your word!” George, scanning the room of project managers, his voice filled with defiance, said, “How long are we going to bow to this Capital city woman! This is Blackwood! We need a leader from Blackwood! We will inform the Chairman that Grace is unfit to lead us, oblivious to our local traditions!”Some were still reluctant, but a few hands hesitantly rose.“25... and still not enough to make half,” George shouted, trying to bolster his side. “Come on, guys, we people of Blackwood need to stick together. Now is the time to rise. With the m
"Really?" questioned a businessman, his face already etched with desperation as he gazed at his massive formidable competitors. Suddenly, a glimmer of hope emerged within him.“There are only three senior managers at the Eden Group, and my father is the most senior, just one level below the general manager.” Preston added with confidence."As you know, the current general manager of Eden Group is from the capital city. She doesn’t know much about Blackwood, so she delegates all decisions regarding project contracts to my father!" Preston boasted.As he spoke, more people were drawn to his words.“Listen to me, if you want a quick and guaranteed project from Eden Group, you need to know my father. And with the right…” Robert gestured with his thumb and forefinger, mimicking the universal sign for money, “all of you will get any project you want.”“Are you sure?” asked another businessman.“Envira,” Preston called out to her. “This is my fiancée, from the Deneuve family. I just secured
"Please don’t resign!" Lucas said frightenedly, as he and the other workers quickly crowded around Sophia."Miss Sophia, please don't say something like this. We will handle all this problem together," said another worker hurriedly."But," Sophia's face turned pale, "they are cancelling all the contracts because of me.""Miss Sophia," Lucas added, "as long as headquarters hasn't fired you, please don’t resign. Our livelihoods are connected to you. If you resign now, someone will get angry at us and fire us all.""But the phone call," Sophia glanced towards the incessantly ringing phone."I am having fun answering that," Lucas said with a smirk. "They'll regret it soon.""Yes, even I’m not worried about that. Why must Miss Sophia worry? At times like this, we must believe in headquarters." Added another worker.“Are
As the internal audit group passed through the crowd, George Spencer looked down, his face pale and distant. Everyone around sensed that something was terribly wrong.Before Preston could go to meet his father, four Eden Group security guards approached him and Envira."Are you Preston Spencer and Envira Deneuve?" one of the guards asked with a displeased and mocking tone."Yes," Preston and Envira answered cheerfully, still thinking they would be treated as VIPs."Leave this place now! You are not welcome here," the guard commanded sternly, as two other guards started to push them toward the exit."Hey, stop it," Preston protested, his voice cracking with confusion, disbelief, and anger."My father, George Spencer, is a senior member here. What is your name? You will be fired if you do this to me.""My name is Jackson," the guard replied bluntly, pushing his head to gesture toward George being escorted out of the building. "Your father has just been fired. So get the fuck off this bu
Andrew knew well that his mother fanatically believed in superstitions. She might actually harm that poor man."Mother, it will cause Sophia displeasure," Andrew cautioned."Why should I care about the bitch who put our Deneuve name to shame and bring bad luck to this family?" she retorted sharply.Andrew activated the screen in the living room and displayed the Eden Group awarding Sophia Deneuve a $500 million project.Grandma Deneuve watched the news with a shock."Did she really secure a $500 million project while we are blacklisted by the Eden Group?" she said in disbelief. "How could this have happened?"Another news story showed that George Spencer was fired along with 29 others from Eden Group, as he was proven to have engaged in illegal activities during his work time.Grandma Deneuve yelled, "It turns out the Spencer family, whom we thought would elevate our status, is actually the one dragging us into bankruptcy! I want to sever all ties with them. Cancel our wedding with th
"Victoria," Sophia replied, knowing it's still hard for many people to accept different class marriages."He is a project leader at the company I work for. A good person and also handsome, if that’s what you’re asking."“So it turns out to be true,” Victoria sighed in disbelief.Sophia quickly tried to change the topic. “What made you call?”“My dad can’t see me being happy unemployed forever. He wants me to move to Blackwood City.”“You?” Sophia couldn’t believe what she heard. “You, from a second-tier wealthy family with assets of $1 billion? Why are you moving to this small city?”“I need your help, Sophia Deneuve.”Sophia laughed, “The Deneuves are only a fourth-tier wealthy family with assets of about $100 million. What help could we possibly offer you?”“Even the richest here are only third-tier, with around $500 million in assets. Nobody in Blackwood City can help you, Victoria.”“I have information, but you need to keep it a secret. Can you?” Victoria whispered.“My lips are s
"Sir, I want to report," Lavinia said. "Last night, there are attempts to breach our system and obtain your identity information.""Have you found out who tried to do it?" Alex asked, knowing he has many enemies."It's a group of hackers, and we've already caught them all. They said that the Cavendish family, paid them. What should we do?""Trying to breach into the system and find royal family identity can be charged with spying, and the entire family could be punished.” Alex replied. “But they are my wife’s best friend's family.""Let's give them a second chance for now. If they turn out to be dangerous, we can erase the entire family from the Empire later. Also, try to find out why they want my information.""Yes, sir," Lavinia added, "5 of your collection of cars are already in the Eden Group’s special parking lot; you can use them anytime you want.""Thanks." Alex cut off the communication, thinking about how to entertain his wife's best friend well, to not embarrass his wife.Ho
Previously, when Alex used the card key to enter Mitchell’s private alchemy room, one of Mitchell’s assistants, Claire—a bespectacled young woman of striking beauty and intermediate rank in alchemy—stared at him in disbelief.“Kid, why are you in the Master’s room?” She rushed over, barely hiding her alarm. “And where’d you get that key?”Alex frowned. “Didn’t Master Mitchell notify you?”She glanced at her smartwatch, then froze. “Master Mitchell did text me to assist… but I’m warning you—don’t make a mess. I’m the one who has to keep this place organized.”Alex’s frown deepened as he studied her face. “Didn’t he also say you should give me whatever I need?”Claire scoffed. “You’re just a kid. Letting you in is already a big deal.”Alex sighed and stepped inside.The room was large, lined with shelves that carried neatly labeled boxes of every alchemical ingredient imaginable.As Alex started reading labels and picking ingredients, Claire looked at him suspiciously. “Do you even know
“This isn’t over yet!” Brian snapped, turning back to his exam, trying his hardest to pass it.Alex laughed and turned to the Alchemy Master.“Can I use one of the alchemy room now? I need to make a potion for my friend.”Mitchell Hunt, the alchemy master shocked and chatted with Alex for a while and quickly realized that Alex wasn’t just skilled in the theories of alchemy—he was also familiar with actual refinement processes.Monstrous!Mitchell had spent decades in alchemy, only reaching the Alchemy Master level at fifty years old.Thinking about Alex’s age made him feel both impressed and embarrassed.It was frustrating! How old was Alex? Yet his knowledge was already on par with seasoned masters.It was proof that knowledge didn’t always come with age.“Sure,” Mitchell said finally, “I’ll let you use my alchemy room. You can use any ingredient inside. If something’s missing, you can ask my assistant.”“Here, take this card—it’ll grant you access, and I’ll inform my assistant. Mean
"Don’t fool yourself into thinking you’ll become a Master today," Brian said, shaking his head in disgust."You’d be better off running home and nursing at your mother’s breast."Alex responded with a nonchalant shrug. "We’ll see about that," he said softly."And when I prove you wrong, I’ll treat you as my proper servant."With those quiet, confident words, Alex turned and walked toward the examination chamber, leaving Brian seething in his wake.Brian glared at the boy’s retreating back, his mind spinning with disbelief.How dare this arrogant whelp even consider taking such a demanding exam?Shaking his head, Brian stepped into the assigned room, bitter resentment burning hot in his chest.Inside the testing chamber, Alex approached the Alchemy Master presiding over the exam.The old man’s face was stern, his gaze appraising as he studied the young stranger who dared to set foot here.He looked utterly perplexed. A boy? In the Master-level exam room?"Are you lost, lad?" the Alchem
Walking down a corridor lit by soft, enchanted lamp, Alex followed the attendant who had greeted him in the lobby.His thoughts drifted to the fallen Alchemist Association.He recalled how, in recent years, so many gifted minds had abandoned alchemy for the sword and spear, leaving a generation barely touched by the old art’s wisdom.In his previous life, he had witnessed the Alchemist Association’s last stand during the siege of Miracle City.They had given everything, each member perishing in the final defense.At least, he had no reason to doubt their honor; the Bolton Family’s hand had never tainted the alchemists’ good name.His guide, a sharp-eyed young woman named Lanny, studied him with open skepticism.“You’re here to take the apprentice examination, right? I hope you’ve prepared. Anyone worth their salt knows at least five foundational tomes by heart.”Alex almost laughed as he pictured one of those massive texts.It had been thick enough to topple a grown man if hurled with
In a split second, Alex pulled the gun from his pocket and fired at the attacker.It was an ancient technology, long lost to time, and only a handful of people still owned it.The other attackers froze, their eyes wide as they watched their leader—a silver rank—fly back nearly ten meters from the force of the laser shot.Smoke rose from his chest, where a searing burn now marred his flesh.The top silver rank was dead by one shot.The remaining four glanced at each other, panic spreading across their faces.They nodded in silent agreement and suddenly turned to flee.What was supposed to be an easy job—killing a bronze-ranked kid—had turned into a nightmare.That same kid had just taken down their leader, the strongest among them, with a single shot.They were only early silver rank—staying would mean certain death.Running was their only choice.As they bolted, Alex didn’t hesitate. He fired again.A beam of light sliced through the air, and one of the fleeing attackers collapsed to
Scarlet and Cassandra had fought twice before, and both times ended in a dead heat.This was now their third match, and even though Scarlet was a senior, with Cassandra had gained new strength, the outcome looked much the same.Neither girl would back down, neither would concede defeat.Their rivalry had ignited the very first time Scarlet flaunted her affection for Alex, and Cassandra had stepped in with a warning.Scarlet ignored it, and from that day on, the two had fought for reasons that went well beyond pride.Yet, there was something else about their fights—something that drew onlookers from every corner of the academy.The pair of goddesses remained completely unaware of the chaos they unleashed every time they clashed.They crashed into walls, toppled statues, and kicked up dust storms in the courtyards. And the students loved every second of it.They lined up, whispering and joking, placing bets as if watching a grand tournament.On this particular day, as Scarlet and Cassan
Previously, Alex and Sofie were on the truck, heading back to the city, when Renault contacted them.“Sofie, Alex! Thank God you’re safe! We’ve been searching everywhere for you,” Renault’s voice crackled through the communicator.Alex smiled, knowing Renault felt truly safe was knowing the princess was unharmed.His whole family could land in prison if anything happened to her.“We’re okay!” Alex replied straightforwardly.“But you guys need to hurry and get the stuff—then leave quickly!”“Why?” Renault asked, a note of worry in his tone.“I ran into some outlaws,” Alex explained.“They’re hunting for nobles. They’ll try to steal everything and might even kidnap all of you for ransom!”Renault’s breath hitched on the other end, clearly caught off guard.If the outlaws found them, it would be catastrophic.But Alex’s warning gave them an edge—if they knew trouble was coming, they could set traps and prepare an ambush.“Thank you, Alex. I’ll make sure you’re rewarded later.”“No need,”
Jareth furiously raised his head and glared at Renault.“What?” Renault snapped back, his eyes narrowing.“Don’t think I won’t destroy your entire family if you keep trying to harm Alex and Sofie!”The tension crackled between them. Renault’s voice was like ice, sharp and cutting, and his presence felt larger, as though he were towering over Jareth.Renault’s anger simmered just beneath the surface. Sofie was a princess of Miracle City, and if anyone dared to suspect her or interfere with her gains from the expedition, they’d answer to him.Perhaps even the King himself would inspect their family treasures tomorrow.How dare Jareth think he could threaten his family?For the first time, Jareth saw Renault this angry, making his own rage falter.He took a step back, feeling the weight of Renault’s family name.Renault was a member of the major DuPont family, a direct descendant, no less. They could crush his entire lineage with a mere word.Jareth clenched his fists but dropped his gaz
"Shut up, Jareth!" Scarlet's voice cracked with anger as she glared at him."This is the truth!" Jareth retorted coldly, his laughter mocking."His corpse has probably been devoured by beasts. You can't change what's already a fact!"Alex had swallowed his Mana Force, filling him with hatred.He had robbed him of years of painstaking effort. If Alex wasn't already dead, Jareth swore he'd kill him with his own hands."Get lost!" Scarlet snapped, fury radiating from her. "If you don't leave now, don't blame me for being rude!"Jareth opened his mouth to retort, but Renault interrupted, his voice edged with warning. "You'd better listen to her, Jareth."Regret gnawed at Renault's chest.He should have prioritized Sofie. Guilt weighed heavily as he prayed for her safety. Listening to Jareth's venomous remarks only deepened the bitterness in his heart.Jareth smirked, shrugged, and moved aside, his defiance lingering in the air.The group was down to just twenty-one people now. Some had al