The next day, Sophia and Alex strolled to the Plaza Hotel's restaurant, where they had planned to meet Victoria for lunch. Having not seen each other in a long time, both women had plenty of stories to share. Sophia's face lit up as she happily recounted their college days to Alex. However, her smile faltered when they arrived at the VIP section of the restaurant and saw Jerry already seated with Victoria. She was puzzled and a bit distressed—how could Jerry the eldest cousin be here? Despite her mixed feelings toward her family, she knew she had to maintain politeness. As they approached Jerry and Victoria, Sophia took on the role of the introducer. "Alex, this is Jerry Deneuve, my cousin, the first son of Uncle Andrew," she said, trying to ease the tension. “Jerry, this is my husband. Alex.” Alex, attempting to be cordial, extended his hand for a handshake. However, Jerry stayed seated with a disdainful expression, casting a sidelong glance at Alex while leaving his hand hangin
As Victoria watched Sophia's joy fade in the shadow of her cousin's mocking and insults, she felt sympathy for her best friend, who had married a useless man.She wanted to extricate him from Sophia's life but thought it best not to escalate the situation now as Jerry seemed too eager to flip the table at any moment.She finally said with her sweet voice, “Alright, alright, all of us here are friends. Why worry about such things? Let's eat; I'm already hungry.”She glanced at the pitiful waiters caught in the family drama. “Please, could you bring menus for the four of us?”The waiter bowed and hurried away as fast as he could.Jerry seemed ready to continue his tirade, but Victoria gave him a stern look. “Jerry, please don’t continue. Haven’t you heard? A hungry man is an angry man. Let’s eat first.”Victoria didn’t want Jerry to embarrass Sophia or her husband any further.She had heard rumour about Sophia had already turned her back on her family for Alex and didn’t want her to for
In the hushed VIP lounge, Sophia's hands shook as she took the gleaming, unfamiliar golden card from Alex, a man she thought she knew.When she was on the capital city, a few first-ranked family guys had tried to date her, each flaunting their own golden cards.She examined the card carefully, noting it was slightly different from those of her acquaintances."Victoria," Sophia called out hastily, "check this golden card, I think it might be fake, right? I never seen this one."Sophia handed the card to Victoria, as she inspected the card, flipping it several times, then sighed, "I think it's real, though it's different from the usual first-class family cards. I believe this golden card is only used by the very top of the first-class families. It's made of an old gold and has a floral pattern signifying a link to the Royal family. Not all first-rank families have access to this."Sophia looked suspiciously at Alex’s calm face. "Don't tell me it’s yours."Victoria and Jerry were already
In the VIP dining area, Alex wanted to confess everything to Sophia, but hesitated since Victoria was also present. Aware that the Cavendish family had attempted to steal his information for unknown reason, Alex thought it wiser to keep his identity a secret for the time being. The more people knew who he was, the greater the danger to those around him. As a Military Supreme Leaders, Alex had numerous enemies, especially from other kingdoms who might exploit this information to kill him and threaten his loved ones. Especially, Sophia was now trying to build her independence from her family and wanted to achieve success to prove herself to them. She required more time for herself. Alex didn't want to disrupt Sophia's chosen path in life. "Do you remember the war between the Archelion Empire and the Drakonia Federation two years ago?" Alex began. Sophia nodded. Victoria held her breath as she listened to Alex in fright. "I was a soldier then, and through a stroke of luck, I sav
Inside the luxury penthouse of the Plaza Hotel, Sophia and Victoria were having fun in the pool while chatting for hours in a joyful mood. Alex was in the living room. Working with his device and, at the same time, controling himself. Victoria and Sophia, the two goddesses, in bikinis were a sight no normal healthy guy could ignore after the first glance, so to stop degrading himself in front of Sophia, he chose to stay in the living room, far enough away from them. As usual, Alex was working on military tasks, receiving information about the political conditions of countries on the border. Since this was his real job, he needed to manage it without any mistakes. Only after that would he check and inspect the plans for Blackwood’s project—a minor project for him. "Alex," Sophia called from the poolside, "since Victoria is here, we're having our small university reunion tomorrow night with others. Will you join us?" "Do I have choice?" Alex replied. "Unfortunately, no," Sophia g
As the sun rose at Blackwood Mall, the largest and most luxurious shopping center, the gleaming chrome of a $10 million car glided smoothly into the entrance, announcing its arrival with the quiet hum of luxury.All eyes were drawn to the car because it was a limited edition and the newest model in the entire empire.Sophia Deneuve stepped out, her presence like a melody that quieted the surrounding noise, one of the most stunning figures in Blackwood city.Instantly, all eyes locked onto her.As the passenger door opened, another equally beautiful figure emerged—Victoria Cavendish. Her attire alone signified her belonging to a high-ranking family.Both women attracted attention effortlessly, but when the third person appeared from inside, the crowd was taken aback.Alex in a faded, cheap shirt, simple jeans, and worn shoes stepped out.The crowd quickly dismissed him from their minds and returned their focus to the two beauties.Wherever the two women strolled in the mall, men, espec
Inside the cold temperature of Royal Jewel Co., everyone seemed frozen.Arisa's face turned pale, and the supervisor, usually vibrant and commanding, seemed to shrink, her eyes darting around in search of an escape.The customers in the store were stunned into silence, all except for the manager, who was visibly panicked."Why are all of you still standing around like dolls? The General Manager will arrive in five minutes. Please, guide the customers out now," he instructed in urgency."Do you want to be fired?"Suddenly, the shop attendants sprang into action, bowing politely."Honorable customers, it seems there is an emergency and an important matter to address. We are sorry, but we cannot serve you at this moment."Alex stood still, seemingly indifferent to the chaos around him, continuing to look at the jewelry as the manager bowed deeply before him, acting as his personal attendant.Some customers' faces had turned pale; some hastily exited, while the smarter ones approached Ale
Inside the Royal Jewel Co., Victoria stood in shock, two days at Blackwood had rattled her more than a year in the capital had.She gazed at the row of jewelry outside the display, with prices ranging from one million to five million dollars, while the most expensive piece was tagged at $9,999,999.When she overheard Alex ask, ‘Sophia, do you want to take everything here?’Unable to hold her silence, she blurted out, “Alex, you may have saved a royal family, but there are limits of everything. Don't squander recklessly.”Sophia was looking at Alex, wanted to say something, but before she could, Alex has said, “Sophia, I am just a poor man, without anything…”The General Manager, Ivan, twitched a bit listening to that bullshit, but he didn’t dare say anything.Alex continued, “When I see other husbands with the means to buy their lovely wives jewelry, I feel so saddened that I cannot buy you any jewelry to wear.”“With my hardships and risking my life in war, I saved the royal member a
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