Chapter 306: New Eye-Candy Of The Academy
Ivan, standing beside her, did nothing to stop her.
He knew what Evelyn was doing was necessary, and just as he had expected, she did not disappoint. He had told her long ago that only the powerful could rule this kingdom and command submission.
It was truly a dog-eat-dog world, where only the top dog could force these people to heel.
Evelyn finally displaying her power was essential. It was time for them to take her seriously and stop their foolish games. If, after this, they still could not drill that simple fact into their heads, he would have no choice but to eliminate them as they will bore to be potential threats. And he would never tolerate a single spark of disrespect toward her. She was, after all, the other half of his soul.
His thoughts were cut short when her stern, cold, commanding voice rang out, "Kneel."
It was as though a sudden shock tore through their systems. Eyes wide, their knees buckled automatically, and they collapsed to the floor at once, as if their very beings demanded submission before the ethereal woman. Even as their minds struggled to resist, their bodies simply would not obey.
Shocked gasps rippled through the ballroom as the tremors finally began to subside, yet no one dared to move or speak. The immense pressure radiating from her remained, brushing against their heightened vampire senses and forcing them to acknowledge, without question, the terrifying power standing before them.
Evelyn continued to stare, her voice cold and resonant. "It is one thing for you, as parents, to raise your daughter however you deem fit. It is quite another to project that willfulness onto me or Prince Ivan, especially when you are both fully aware that he is already in a committed relationship with me."
Her gaze sharpened, and her voice rose just enough for the entire ballroom to hear. "So listen carefully, because I will not repeat myself. If you, or anyone else, attempts this cheap stunt again by trying to throw your daughters into the arms of a man who is solely mine, I will not hold back."
She paused, turning her piercing gaze towards Ruby, who trembled like a leaf before her. "And as for your daughter....You spoke of taking this to court, Minister? Well, I shall make it easier for you. Attempting to murder royalty from a foreign kingdom in front of all these witnesses is a grave offense. I am certain His Majesty will be more than happy to deliver the justice you so desperately seek."
Her voice dropped, cold and final. "Mark my words. This time, I am letting it go out of respect for His Majesty and his kingdom. But do not mistake that for mercy. The next time someone charges at me or my loved ones with intent to harm, I will not be so lenient."
Ivan and the trio, watching alongside Alex and Caleb, felt their lips curl into the ghost of a smile.
Their chests swelled with pride and profound respect for Evelyn. She had not only displayed her power to show them exactly what they were dealing with, but by refusing to deliver the final punishment herself, she proved she was not reckless.
By choosing to abide by the laws and regulations of the vampire kingdom, she demonstrated a deep respect for the King’s authority, even though the offense had been a direct attack on her life.
Despite having the absolute protection of both Ivan and the Iskara, she refused to act willfully or above the law.
Her warning, paired with that display of incredible power, was more than enough to send a clear message: anyone intelligent enough to value their life would never dare to cross her again.
Those who were staunch supporters of Ivan, loyal to both him and King Iskara, saw this clearly. A flash of approval gleamed in their eyes as they watched the young Princess, and they recognized within her the unmistakable qualities of an incredible leader.
Evelyn then raised her hand, curling her fingers ever so slightly as she tightened the invisible force restraining Ruby one last time. A sharp cry of pain tore from the girl before Evelyn finally relaxed her grip, sending Ruby crashing to the ground in an ungraceful heap with a heavy thud, gasping desperately for air.
The radiant glow surrounding Evelyn slowly began to dim, allowing the guests to finally exhale a collective sigh of relief.
Silas and Maribel, seeing their daughter released, turned their frantic eyes toward Ivan. "Y-Your Highness....we beg you....please, let our daughter go! She-"
"Alex," Ivan said, cutting them off mid-sentence.
Alex moved instantly, seizing both arms of the trembling vampiress and cuffing them behind her back.
Ruby, still struggling to grasp the reality of her situation, finally realized what was happening. "W-wait! What are you d-doing to me?!" she exclaimed, her voice thick with panic.
She turned her screams toward her parents. "Father! Mother! Do something!"
"Y-Your Highness! That is our daughter! You cannot do this!" Silas cried, spiraling into a full-blown panic.
Alex didn’t budge. He simply adjusted his sword until the cold steel pressed directly against the vampiress’s neck. "You are under arrest for the attempted murder of Princess Evelyn," he stated flatly. "You will be held in the dungeons until His Majesty delivers his verdict regarding your punishment."
"Your Highness!" Silas and Maribel cried out again, but they didn’t dare scream this time. They remained paralyzed, terrified that their daughter would die by Alex’s hand if they made even one wrong move while his blade was drawn.
Ivan looked down at the squeaking rats before him, his eyes narrowing into slits of pure ice. "You speak of her as your daughter, yet all I see is a corpse that hasn’t realized it’s stopped breathing," he whispered, his voice so chilling that the air in the ballroom seemed to frost.
"What makes you think I would spare a creature that dared to aim its filth at the love of my life? You should be thanking the Princess that it is only her respect for my father’s laws that keeps your daughter’s head attached to her shoulders this evening."
"As Princess Evelyn mentioned, this woman dared to commit this crime, that too in my presence. She will be met with the punishment she deserves."
With that, he offered his hand to Evelyn, who was already watching him. Her gaze softened as she reached out to take it wordlessly. Without wasting another second, they swept out of the ballroom.
Cece, Edward, and Damien followed closely behind with highly amused expressions, while Ruby was dragged away mercilessly by Alex’s men, leaving the rest of the guests completely befuddled in their wake.
.....
When the sun rose the next day, the academy dining hall buzzed with students chatting about their classes and exchanging gossip. The scent of freshly baked goods, coffee, tea, and other mouthwatering breakfast fare lingered warmly in the air.
Since no one was yet aware of what had transpired at the private ball at Silas’s estate, it was not the subject of discussion.
Instead, most conversations revolved around one particular man.....a newcomer who had joined in the middle of the term. About whom the women, in particular, could not stop gushing over.
"Did you see him? Oh my god, he is absolutely mouthwatering. I almost wanted to fall to my knees in front of him," one female student murmured with dreamy eyes.
"I managed to catch a glimpse of him walking to his room last night," another chimed in eagerly.
"He looked especially delicious. It makes me wonder whether he is human or a lumen."
"He is definitely a lumen with looks like that."
"I think so too. Anyway, it was getting a little dull around here with no sign of the gorgeous prince or the duke. At least we have some new eye candy. I am definitely going to talk to him before he slips through my fingers."
"Me too. Oh, and since Princess Evelyn is no longer a problem, and I doubt Lady Cece would approach him, I will try my luck with full force this time," another added excitedly.
Similar conversations echoed across most of the tables, eventually reaching Oliver’s ears as he sat with Prince Aden across from him. He paused mid-bite, chewing quietly before looking up at Aden and asking, "Do you know who they are talking about? I have not heard anything about a new student joining at this point in the term."
Aden was sipping his tea quietly, listening to the surrounding chatter, when a small spark of glee stirred within him at Oliver finally asking him something. It made him feel, perhaps for the first time, that he was being useful to the usually reserved man.
