Chapter 166 37.1 - Small talk on the train
"Miss, I am sorry for this."
There were times when life didn't go the way we wanted, no matter how powerful we were. This is the undeniable truth of this world.
Even the noble families who had established themselves years ago aren't excluded from this rule.
"Can you repair it?"
And now, the girl standing in front of the car was feeling this reality exactly from the first perspective.
The sleek, modern car sat forlornly on the side of the road, its engine emitting an occasional pathetic sputter.
Irina, with her fiery red hair and an air of aristocratic impatience, scowled at the unfortunate vehicle. Her expectations for the day had not included a breakdown on her way to the prestigious academy.
"Really, of all the days for this to happen," she muttered to herself, her frustration evident in the creased lines on her forehead. "First, the dimensional travel is disturbed, and now this."
If it was one disturbance, things wouldn't be so bad, but it was two.
Her chauffeur, Thomas, approached her with an apologetic expression. "Miss Irina, I deeply apologize for the inconvenience. It seems the car has decided to betray us today."
Irina shot him a glare, her piercing blue eyes ablaze. "Betrayal is a human emotion, Thomas. This is just an inconvenience. Now, can you fix it, or do I need to find someone who can?"
Thomas swallowed nervously. "I'll do my best, Miss."
While Thomas delved under the hood with an uncertain look on his face, Irina waited impatiently while creating a small fire from her hands to protect herself from the cold. "Sigh…." Another hearty sigh followed. The last few days had been hard, as the pressure her mother had pushed on her was overwhelming.
'I really want to return to the academy.'
It had just been a week, but she was already missing the atmosphere in the academy. Hanging around with others, fighting and sparring….It was quite a fun experience, different from the dullness she had felt in her home.
While she was thinking about the academy, suddenly she remembered a certain guy.
'Right….There was that too….'
Since she was busy with her responsibilities, she forgot what was reported to her.
'Trevor Philips….'
The name wasn't something unfamiliar. After all, Irina had been attending the higher society of the Valerian Human Federation since the moment she passed a certain age.
From all the banquets, she knew the name Philips as they were one of the high-ranking families in the Human Domain, thanks to their overwhelming influence in the Hunter Association and the economy of Hunters.
Naturally, as Irina attended the meetings, she came to know the heirs of such families, and Trevor Philips was one of them.
'If I remember correctly, he wasn't an attention-seeking guy.'
Irina hadn't interacted with him a lot, but from what she knew, he wasn't someone who stood particularly as an individual with a bad personality.
There were countless heirs who acted all-mighty, but Trevor wasn't one of them.
'He usually looked shadowed.'
Shadowed by his siblings would be the right term as Irina analyzed the past.
He was a talented kid, as he was one of the early awakeners. However, his talent fell short compared to his siblings. That particularly stood out when he entered the Arcadia Hunter Academy last year.
While his siblings attained a higher rank, he couldn't project the same progress and, in the end, was rather ranked in the middle ranks.
How did she know this?
It was due to the studies her mother forced her to do. She was forced to memorize every bit of information about the students before entering the academy.
'In any case…I still don't understand why he did such a thing?'
It was unusual.
Even if he felt inferior to his siblings, why would he randomly order the bullying of the last-ranked junior who had nothing to do with him? If it was a high-ranking student that reminded him of his inferiority, she could understand a little.
But this was way too out of the ordinary.
'Do they share some sort of past? Did something happen between them that I don't know?'
Questions after questions came. The revelation of the person behind those rumors didn't bring any sort of satisfaction but brought more questions.
"Tch….This pisses me off."
In the end, she couldn't help but swear to herself.
"I hate it when I can't reach an answer."
Whenever things were related to that guy, they would always end up with more questions.
"I will ask him when I see him in the academy."
-WRRR!
Irina, lost in her contemplation about Trevor Philips and the bullying incident, was abruptly pulled back to reality by the sound of her car's engine. The chauffeur, looking defeated, shook his head.
"Miss Irina, I'm afraid the issue is beyond my capabilities. I've tried my best, but the car is beyond immediate repair," he explained, a hint of frustration in his voice.
Irina's irritation flared up again. "You can't be serious. What did you say to my mother?"
The chauffeur hesitated before replying, "I contacted the Madam and explained the situation. However, her response was unexpected. She said you should find your own way out of this predicament."
Irina's eyes widened in disbelief. "What? Find my own way? Is she joking?"
The chauffeur sighed, realizing the predicament. "I'm afraid not, Miss. The Madam seemed quite adamant. It seems she's occupied with matters of greater importance."
Irina clenched her fists, frustration boiling within her. "This is absurd! I can't believe she'd leave me stranded like this."
The chauffeur nodded sympathetically. "I share your sentiments, Miss. I'll continue to try and fix the car, but for now, we might need to explore alternative options."
Irina, fuming with anger, stepped out of the car and glanced around. The unfamiliar surroundings heightened her sense of helplessness.
"Ugh, this is infuriating," she muttered to herself. "I can't believe I have to deal with this nonsense….." She was about to complain a lot more, but she calmed herself down.
"It was expected from her anyway."
She knew her mother and knew what kind of person she was.
'She probably arranged this knowingly.'
As she cooled, she understood that there was no way the car of the Emberheart family, which cost millions of Valer, would break like this randomly. That meant the entire thing was rigged, and possibly the driver was involved, too.
"I shouldn't get angry."
If it was before, she would get angry and fume, but right now, strangely, she was calm. Even though she didn't know it, due to the influence of her friends and someone else, she was becoming different.
Irina, deciding to take matters into her own hands, opened her smartwatch. The holographic display illuminated, and she navigated to the map application. As she zoomed in, she studied the unfamiliar surroundings, trying to pinpoint her location.
"Let's see what options we have," she muttered, her frustration transforming into determination.
Her eyes scanned the holographic map, and she noticed a small town and a railway mark not far from her current location. A glimmer of light flickered in her eyes. "A train station," she murmured.
'Heh….'
At that exact second, a plan came into her mind, and the corners of her mouth curled up.
"Hey, driver," Irina called out to the chauffeur, her tone oddly composed.
The chauffeur turned towards her, expecting another complaint or inquiry. Instead, he was met with a smirk playing on Irina's lips. Her eyes glinted with a mischievous light that took him aback.
"You know, I was just thinking," Irina began, her voice holding a hint of mockery. "It's quite a coincidence that the Emberheart family's esteemed car breaks down like this, isn't it? I mean, what are the odds?"
The chauffeur stammered, his expression shifting from confusion to discomfort. "I assure you, Miss, it's just a mechanical failure. These things happen."
Irina chuckled, her eyes narrowing. "Oh, I'm sure they do. But you see, I'm not as na?ve as I might appear. I have a feeling this wasn't just a random mishap. Someone might have arranged for this little inconvenience, don't you think?"
The chauffeur avoided her gaze, fumbling for words. "Of course, not miss. There is no way such a thing would happen." But in the end, he didn't give in.
"Right….I guess I am mistaken. You see, the cold is getting on my nerves." Irina continued, her smirk widening with each second.
"Ehm…." The chauffeur coughed slightly as the response.
"So, you wouldn't mind if I heat things a little, right?"
Irina, however, was already a step ahead. She didn't wait for his response. Instead, she activated her fire magic, a skill she had honed during her lifetime.
BOOM!
In a burst of flames, Irina propelled herself into the air.
"Y-young miss…."
The chauffeur watched in astonishment as his young mistress defied gravity, flames trailing behind her like a phoenix taking flight.
"Good luck dealing with them."
Those words were her last words as Irina controlled the combustion with precise bursts, steering herself toward the small town she had spotted on the holographic map, while the sound she made attracted the monsters all around.
BOOM! BOOM!
The wind rushed past her, and the world blurred as she soared through the sky. The townsfolk below would witness an unexpected spectacle – the heiress of the Emberheart family flying over their town with flames dancing around her.
As she descended towards the outskirts of the town, Irina's flames extinguished. She landed gracefully; her arrival met with a mix of awe and confusion from the onlookers.
"Wow…."
"Is she an awakened?"
"How beautiful?"
Brushing off her clothes, Irina couldn't help but feel a sense of liberation. "Well, that's one way to handle things," she mused, a triumphant smile playing on her lips. She finally felt like she won against her mother in a long time.
Entering the station, Irina approached the ticket counter with a confident stride. The attendant, still recovering from the shock of witnessing her arrival, greeted her with a mix of curiosity and admiration.
"Good evening, my lady. How may I assist you?" the attendant inquired, adjusting their uniform.
Irina, with a composed demeanor, replied, "I need a ticket for the next train to the Capital, Arcadia. When is it departing?"
The attendant consulted the schedule.
-HORN!
And just as they were about to answer, the distant sound of an approaching train echoed through the station.
"I believe the next train to Arcadia is arriving shortly," the attendant said, a hint of urgency in their voice. "You might want to hurry; this is the last one for the day."
Irina's eyes widened slightly at the revelation, and without wasting a moment, she hurriedly purchased a ticket. "Have a pleasant trip," the attendant wished, handing over the ticket with a polite nod.
With a ticket in hand, Irina dashed towards the platform, guided by the ever-growing sound of the approaching train. The station's announcements echoed in the air, a cacophony of instructions and reminders.
"Train to Arcadia arriving on Platform 3. All aboard, please!"
The urgency in the announcements matched the pounding of Irina's heart as she reached the platform just in time to witness the train pulling in. The doors began to close, and the attendant at the entrance signaled her to hurry.
Irina sprinted the last few meters, the horns of the train blaring as if urging her to make it in time.
With a burst of speed, she reached the closing doors and slid into the train just as they sealed shut behind her. The announcement chime played, signaling the train's imminent departure.
"Thank you for choosing Valerian Railways. We hope you have a comfortable journey to Arcadia."
As Irina caught her breath and settled into her seat, the conductor of the train, dressed in a neat uniform, made his way down the aisle. The hum of the train and the rhythmic clatter of the tracks provided a backdrop to the subdued murmur of conversations among the passengers.
"Ticket, please," the conductor said, extending his hand toward Irina.
Irina, initially proud of her independence, handed her ticket to the conductor, who inspected it with a practiced eye. As he reached her assigned seat, he paused, then addressed her with a polite tone.
"Excuse me, Lady Irina," the conductor said, leaning over the back of the seat. "It seems there might be a mistake. Your assigned seat is in compartment C, seat 12. Could you please move to your designated spot?"
Irina furrowed her brows in confusion, genuinely clueless about the concept of assigned seats on the train. "Why does it matter where I sit? I thought we could choose any seat."
The conductor, maintaining his composure, explained, "Train tickets usually have designated seats to ensure a smooth and organized boarding process. It helps us manage passenger flow and maintain order on the train. If you could please move to your assigned seat, Lady Irina."
Irina felt a sudden flush of embarrassment as the passengers around her exchanged knowing glances. She nodded, realizing her mistake. "Of course, I apologize for the confusion. I'll move right away."
As she was about to relocate to her assigned seat in compartment C, seat 12, Irina suddenly saw someone she didn't expect to see.
"Huh?"
The same person she was just thinking about was sitting on the seat right before her with his eyes locked into hers.
"You…."
Updated from fr𝒆ewebnov𝒆l.(c)om