Chapter 61 Rumors and Rations

Chapter 61 Rumors and Rations
The first thing that hit Ravelyn as soon as she got to the auditorium was the raw, unfiltered gossip from the rest of the students. The cavernous room acted like a megaphone, bouncing whispers off the high stone arches, and every single conversation seemed to be about her.

"Look, there she is. Did you see her walk in like nothing happened?"

"I heard she actually thought she had a chance with the demon prince. How pathetic."

"Now that Lady Nyra is back, we will see if Ravelyn still acts so shameless with Kieran."

"Exactly. She was just a temporary distraction while the true fiancée was away training. A low-born substitute."

"I bet she is crying inside. Look at her trying to play it cool."

"Lady Nyra will put her in her place by sunset, just watch."

The words cut through the air, sharp and malicious. Nina looked ready to lose her absolute mind. Her hands balled into fists, her knuckles turning white, and the shadow lynx at her heels bared its teeth, its fur bristling as it picked up on her rage. She looked ready to tear through the ranks of the gossiping nobles.

Ravelyn reached out and grabbed Nina by the wrist, pulling her back before she could lung at a group of giggling second-years. "Come on. They are not worth it."

"But they are completely soiling your reputation!" Nina argued, her voice vibrating with righteous fury as she tried to shake off Ravelyn's grip. "Are you just going to stand there and let them say those disgusting things?"

"It is their headache," Ravelyn brushed her off, her tone entirely dry and deadpan. "And honestly, that is the very least of my worries right now."

She meant it too. Her stomach gave a loud, violent growl that she was certain the people nearest to her heard. She was actually starving, and her mind was far more occupied by a much bigger, much more dangerous problem. Why, all of a sudden, had there been a Vorath infiltration right inside the academy walls? Gossip didn't kill; demons did. The security breach was a hell of a lot more important than a few jealous teenagers whispering in corners.

Inside the orientation auditorium, the crowd split into distinct factions. Ravelyn kept walking straight down the center aisle, her expression a bored, unbothered mask. The murmuring only increased as she moved deeper into the room. The students looked at her with heavily mixed expressions. A small, silent minority actually felt pity for her, watching her walk into what looked like a social execution, but the vast majority oozed pure envy and rage.

Suddenly, the murmuring died down. The entire room went completely dead silent, the transition so abrupt it made the air feel heavy.

For some reason, Ravelyn could tell exactly why the atmosphere had shifted. The air grew thick with a suffocating, ancient pressure. The students all turned their heads to look at whoever was behind her. Curiously, Ravelyn turned as well.

There she was. Nyra was gliding down the steps, her deadpan expression turning completely rigid the exact second her gaze landed on Ravelyn.

Subconsciously, Ravelyn gulped. The sheer killing intent oozing from the crimson-haired girl was way too much. It felt like a physical weight pressing against her chest, making it hard to draw a full breath.

Nyra cast one quick, knowing glance at Ravelyn—a look that promised a slow, agonizing death—before brushing past her shoulder so closely their uniforms touched. She headed straight toward the lower tier of seats.

Right in that moment, the shadows in the corner of the room lengthened and twisted. Kieran appeared out of thin air, his massive mount, Cerberus, standing right behind him like a terrifying guardian statue of obsidian and ash.

Kieran narrowed his gaze at Ravelyn. He opened his mouth, his dark eyes flickering with something intense, as if he wanted to say something to her right then and there.

However, Nyra beat him to it.

Her once dry, rigid expression lit up instantly, completely erasing her cold facade. "Kieran! I have missed you!"

She practically threw herself at him, wrapping her hands tightly around his arm. While she clung to him, she shot a sharp, knowing look right over her shoulder at Ravelyn. The message was loud and clear: See? I can do this to him, but you cannot.

Kieran immediately frowned, looking down at the bundle sticking to his arm with obvious annoyance. "Nyra? What the hell are you doing here?"

Nyra feigned deep hurt, her lower lip pouting slightly as she looked up at him. "Oh, come on. Did you not miss me at all?"

Kieran did not say a word. His silence was deafening.

She sighed dramatically, her fingers drawing lazy circles on his exposed arm. "I came here because father said so. Besides, I have already finished training the sub-demons anyway."

Kieran simply hummed, his tone completely flat and uninterested. "If you finished your training, could you not just find something else to do rather than coming here?"

Nyra rolled her eyes, completely unfazed by his rejection. "There was nothing else to do. Moreover, I am your fiancée. Where else am I meant to be if not right by your side? Even if it means attending these tedious classes that I absolutely hate."

From afar, to the rest of the cheering, whispering academy, they looked like one happy, lovey-dovey couple. The whispers erupted all over again.

"See? I told you. They look perfect together."

"Ravelyn never stood a chance against a true high-demon bloodline."

For some reason, Ravelyn felt completely disgusted. A sour taste rose in her throat, and she forced herself to look away from the display.

Right in that moment, the heavy oak doors at the back groaned. Seraphine and Lucius walked in. Seraphine wore a completely unreadable expression on her face as she walked a half-step behind Lucius, followed closely by the rest of the top-ranking students in the angel faction.

Nina leaned closer to Ravelyn, her voice a sharp murmur. "Here comes the fake activists."

Ravelyn could not care more or less about who was fake or who was real at this point. Her stomach was actively protesting in hunger again, a sharp cramp reminding her she had not eaten in hours.

"Well, whoever is in charge of this darn orientation should hurry up before I pass out from starvation," Ravelyn muttered under her breath.

At her side, Malphas purred, leaning his heavy demonic head into her leg to offer a small ounce of comfort.

Right then, a booming voice echoed from the front stage. The familiar elder from the evaluation hall weeks ago appeared, his arms crossed over his chest. "Everyone move to your designated seats immediately. Your names have been inscribed onto your desk using locator magic. Your positions have been set. Hurry up."

Ravelyn pulled out her fantasy-looking compass. With the help of the tracking dial, she followed the faint traces of her seat.

She followed the path up the stairs, but her gaze darkened completely when she saw where the needle stopped. Her name was floating in glowing, ethereal ink right between Kieran and Lucius.

Clenching her fist, she glared down at Kieran. The demon prince was already sitting down, looking up at her with a teasing, insufferable smirk. He knew exactly what he was doing. His expression did not go unnoticed by Nyra, who looked ready to commit murder across the aisle, or Lucius, whose jaw tightened instantly as he took his place.

Ravelyn turned on her heel to leave.

"Where are you going?" Nina asked, catching her sleeve.

"I would rather sit outside on the dirt than sit with a bunch of absolute jerks," Ravelyn said, her voice dripping with venom.

Nina did not understand what she meant at first, until her eyes followed Ravelyn's gaze. She saw Ravelyn's name floating directly over the chair nestled between the two most dangerous men in the academy.

Before Ravelyn could take another step away, the elder’s voice rang through the auditorium like a crack of thunder. "Failure to obey your seating assignments will attract immediate disciplinary punishment!"

Hearing that, Ravelyn closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She had no other choice.

Nina blinked, looking genuinely bad that she had to leave her friend alone in the middle of a warzone. She whispered quickly, "We will meet up right after the orientation for lunch. Try not to kill anyone."

"No promises," Ravelyn muttered.

With that, Nina blended into the frantic crowd of students who were still trying to figure out their own seats, leaving Ravelyn to her fate.

Ravelyn looked up at the high tiers. She thought to herself that it was now or never. With a quiet mental command, she called Malphas back into her consciousness, his physical form dissolving into her shadow. Then, she began climbing the stairs to the upper seats.

Every step felt like walking toward a firing squad. When she reached the row, she slid into the empty chair, keeping her eyes locked firmly on the front stage, refusing to look left or right.

She could practically feel the heat radiating from her left. Nyra was shooting absolute venomous glares across the aisle, her eyes practically burning holes into the side of Ravelyn's face. Kieran, however, ignored his fiancée entirely. He did not give Nyra a single glance. Instead, he leaned sideways, shifting his massive frame directly into Ravelyn's personal space.

"Nice look," Kieran whispered, his voice a low, gravelly purr near her ear. "Though I think your collar is a bit ruined. Did you have a rough time without me?"

Ravelyn did not turn her head. "Shut up, Kieran."

On her other side, Lucius shifted rigidly. The angel’s aura was cold, pristine, and entirely defensive. He deliberately adjusted his position, his arm brushing against Ravelyn’s as he leaned forward. Using the heavy, enchanted fabric of his white uniform sleeve, he intentionally blocked Kieran’s shadow magic from creeping across the floor toward her boots.

"Focus on the stage, Ravelyn," Lucius said softly, his voice a calm, protective shield.

"I am trying to," she snapped under her breath, trapped in the middle of their silent, suffocating territorial war.

Down on the main stage, the Head Proctor finally stepped up to the podium, clearing his throat. The orientation was officially beginning, but the air in the upper rows was completely toxic.

As the Head Proctor began speaking, the movement beneath the desk was entirely sudden.

Kieran’s hand slipped out of sight. Before Ravelyn could react, his long fingers lightly brushed against her knee. The contact was instant, immediately sparking their dormant soul-bond. A sharp, electric shock of dark energy surged straight up her leg, making her core spin dangerously out of control.

Ravelyn stiffened, a subtle, involuntary jump wracking her posture.

Lucius noticed the shift instantly. His bright eyes flashed with immediate alarm. Without a single second of hesitation, he reached over and placed his gloved hand firmly over her wrist. His celestial mana poured into her skin, a burning, intense heat meant to anchor her erratic, spiking energy and drive Kieran’s darkness back.

Ravelyn froze completely.

She was caught directly in the middle of an intense, high-stakes tug-of-war. On one side, the burning, possessive heat of the angel anchored her wrist. On the other side, the electric, chaotic dark pull of the demon pulsed against her knee. Her skin pricked with unresolved friction, her mind screaming at both of them to let go.

"And for this term's advanced wilderness and tactical deployment," the Head Proctor’s voice boomed over the microphone, cutting through the heavy silence of the room. "The academy is instating a mandatory three-person cell assignment. Your seating arrangements today define your permanent teams."