Chapter 133
“Raven, wait–Iron Queen… it’s just a nickname,” Peter stammered. “A term of endearment, really!”
This wasn’t surrender. No, no.
This was a strategic withdrawal.
And besides, hadn’t he just taken the first bold step toward rebellion? That had to count for something.
He was already halfway to shaking off the chains and singing his freedom song.
Ben, seeing Peter fold, jumped right in. “Yeah, Raven! To us, you’re like… the brightest beacon in the dark!”
But before he could even finish the flattery, Raven cut in coldly.
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“You two. Assign the next two hours of training for your squads. And then–one hundred laps each. If you don’t finish…” She smiled faintly. “I’ll show you the real meaning of Iron Queen.”
The remaining seven instructors looked like they’d just won the lottery. Smirks, barely concealed, crept onto their faces. Privately, they all thought the same thing. Thank god she didn’t call on me!
As for Peter and Ben?
Good luck, boys.
But the smugness didn’t last long.
Raven’s voice returned, colder than before. “The rest of you–fifty laps each. Timer starts in one minute.”
The grins vanished. Instantly.
The seven instructors bolted like hellhounds were at their heels, sprinting toward their squads.
Each one barked out orders with suspicious speed. And oddly… each ordered their cadets to run ten laps.
Maybe it was guilt. Maybe they were trying to soften the blow.
When the one–minute countdown ended, all nine instructors–under the wide–eyed gaze of their cadets–took off running.
The students blinked in confusion.
“Wait… shouldn’t instructors just… stand there and supervise? Why are they running? Could it be… they were running alongside them out of solidarity?”
Some of the cadets were genuinely touched.
And that feeling of being seen… turned into motivation.
Within moments, the entire training field became a sea of determined footsteps and pounding hearts.
Meanwhile, Raven handed the radio back to Jonah like nothing had happened.
Nearby, Class Six had just begun to recover from their collective agony.
Raven scanned them coolly.
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22:50 Sun, 20 Apr
Chapter 133
“Form ranks,” she said, her voice calm but commanding.
The moment the words left her mouth, the cadets–still reeling from pain–gritted their teeth and scrambled to their feet, forming up into a neat, silent formation.
Her gaze swept over them, then landed on one boy in particular–Steve.
He was still trembling, barely steady, after Raven had forced two gray pills down his throat earlier.
“Still planning to withdraw from the academy?” Raven asked.
Steve flinched as her eyes locked onto him. His lips parted–but in the end, he said nothing.
He didn’t dare.
But in his heart, he’d already made his decision.
‘As soon as training ends, he swore, ‘I’m going straight to the president’s office. I’ll file‘ my withdrawal. And I’ll demand that Kurt expel this filthy lowborn witch.
He was the heir of the Bartlett family, one of Regalhold’s first–tier noble clans. He was destined for the Hundred–Man Unit, destined to rule over Vyrdenia with pride and power.
And Raven? Just some girl from nowhere.
He would never–ever–allow someone like her to stand above him.
But Raven only needed one glance to see through him.
Her lips curved slightly. But her eyes were anything but warm.
“I don’t care what excuses you’ve made for yourselves,” she said, voice low and deadly steady. “Until this training ends, no one withdraws from Regalhold University.”
Her gaze darkened.
“If you try, you won’t just be leaving the academy. You’ll be exiled from Regalhold itself. And as for that Hundred–Man Unit some of you are so desperate to join?” Her smile vanished. “You’ll never set foot in it.”
Nearly a hundred cadets stood frozen.
Then frowns slowly formed on their faces as her words sank in.
But just as someone was about to object, a venomous voice rose from the ground beside them.
“Well, aren’t you full of yourself.”
Everyone turned to look. There was Jaxton–his face pale, his eyes wild.
He had finally come back from the brink of pain–induced unconsciousness. His hands were still bound tight, his body stiff and unmoving
But the fire in his eyes… burned with fury. And something worse. Bloodthirst.
He glared at Raven like he wanted to tear her apart, limb by limb.
To him, she was a pest, a nobody who thought setting foot in Regalhold gave her the right to reign. He would see her destroyed.
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Chapter 133
Raven met his murderous stare with a slow smile, unfazed.
Then she began walking toward him–one step at a time.
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