The evening glow of the town center was fading, reced by the dim lights of the streetmps and the soft hum of activity from various establishments.


    Among them, a small, dimly lit tavern bustled with theughter and conversation of noble students from Ravenwood Academy, their refined robes and zers contrasting sharply with their uncouth behavior.


    The ce smelled of ale and the clinking of sses and mugs a constant backdrop to the low hum of voices.


    Seated around arge table in the corner, a group of young nobles were indulging in the pleasures of the evening.


    Their faces flushed with drink, they leaned in close to each other, theirughter punctuated by the asional crudement.


    "Did you see that girl in the town square today?" one of them, a broad-shouldered boy with slicked-back hair, slurred, grinning widely.


    "Amoner, but gods, she was prettier than my fiancée. Think her name was... what, Mira?


    I swear, some of thesemoners are wasted in their little hovels."


    Another noble, thinner and with a smirk permanently etched on his face, leaned in closer.


    "Mira, huh? Sounds like fun. Honestly, who needs their noble fiancées when themoners are willing to do anything for a few gold coins?


    Their parents practically throw them at you if you offer enough."


    They allughed, the kind ofughter that dripped with malice and entitlement.


    The subject shifted between their ns to seduce—or more urately, to purchase—the affections of variousmoner girls they had encountered.


    "Tell me about it!" one noble eximed, raising his mug.


    "You offer a few coins, and their fathers are lining up to sell their daughters.


    A few nights of fun, and then you can just move on to the next one. They know their ce."


    The group erupted into another round of vileughter, several of them exchanging stories of the women they had seen, objectifying every detail.


    Their conversations grew more lewd, more disgusting with every passing moment.


    At that very moment, the door to the tavern creaked open, and a figure stepped inside, her presence causing the conversation at the nobles'' table to falter briefly.


    Amy entered the room, her sharp eyes scanning the crowd.


    Dressed in her Blessed Sage uniform, she exuded an aura of authority and power, and it was clear that she did not belong in a ce like this.


    The nobles quicklyposed themselves as she made her way over to the table.


    One of them, Caleb, noticed her first.


    His dark hair fellzily over his forehead as he leaned back in his chair, his eyes gleaming with drunken amusement.


    He nudged the noble next to him and smirked.


    "Well, well, if it isn''t the blessed hottie herself," Caleb drawled, his words slow and mocking.


    He looked Amy up and down in a way that made her skin crawl.


    "What brings you to grace us with your presence, huh?"


    Amy stood tall, her arms crossed over her chest.


    Her face remained unreadable, though she couldn''t hide the disdain that flickered in her eyes.


    "Caleb," she greeted curtly, ignoring the way he had addressed her. She could smell the alcohol on him even from where she stood.


    "Congrattions on making it into S-ss," Caleb sneered, his grin widening.


    "Living the dream at Ravenwood, aren''t you? Must be nice, being the top dog now."


    Amy felt a wave of disgust roll through her at his tone and the way he stared at her, as if she were nothing more than a prize.


    His eyes lingered far too long, and it took all her restraint not to unleash her magic and wipe that smirk off his face.


    "Where''s your bodyguard?" Caleb asked with a mocking snicker.


    "Not the wisest choice, walking into a ce like this all alone, is it?"


    His gaze grew hungrier, his voice dripping with suggestion.


    "Not that I''mining, of course."


    Amy''s blood boiled, her fists tightening at her sides as her eyes narrowed on Caleb.


    The air around her seemed to chill, her magic stirring as her anger rose.


    "Watch your tongue, Caleb," she said coldly.


    "Or I might remove it for you."


    Caleb chuckled, though hisughter wavered slightly at the edge of Amy''s bloodlust. He raised his hands in mock surrender, still grinning, though his tone became more guarded.


    "Whoa there, no need for that. Lower the bloodlust, sweetheart. I can feel it from over here." He leaned forward, resting his chin on his palm.


    "So, why did youe over here, huh? Clearly, you need something if you''re willing toe into this little den of sin. What''s a girl like you need from a guy like me?"


    ''I hate men like him...but I have no choice, he does owe me a favour...''


    Amy thought.


    Amy''s re didn''t waver as she spoke, her voice as cold as ice.


    "I need your help."


    Caleb''s grin faltered.


    "Help with what?"


    Amy took a breath before answering, her tone measured.


    "Getting rid of Noah Ashbourne."


    At the mention of Noah''s name, Caleb''s face darkened, his expression twisting with anger.


    He sat up straight, the casual drunken air around him disappearing as his eyes narrowed.


    "Noah… that bastard," he muttered. His voice dripped with venom.


    "He''s the one who got my mates, Tristan and Cedric, suspended. All because of him."


    Amy didn''t respond to his anger. Instead, she watched him, knowing she had struck a chord.


    "I saw the way you were looking at him in the hall during the results," she said calmly.


    "You hate him. And for good reason..."


    Caleb clenched his jaw, his fingers digging into the table as memories of the results hall shed through his mind. Seeing Noah standing there, so smug in that red zer, had made his blood boil.


    How could someone like Noah, someone so beneath him, be ced in A-ss?


    Caleb had been in the academy longer, had more connections, more power, yet there Noah stood, overshadowing him.


    "Yeah, I hate him," Caleb muttered darkly.


    "He thinks he''s better than us, better than me. But he''ll pay for it. I swear, I''ll make sure of that."


    Amy raised an eyebrow, a small smile ying at the corner of her lips.


    "Then we have something inmon...atleast for now"


    Caleb blinked, caught off guard by her statement.


    "What''s your angle, Amy? What do you get out of this?"


    Amy''s expression hardened, her smile fading.


    "Nothing much," she replied.


    "Just getting rid of unnecessary attention...."


    Caleb eyed her suspiciously, his mind racing. He knew Amy wasn''t someone who yed games lightly. If she wanted Noah gone, there had to be something more to it. But for now, all he cared about was the opportunity to get back at Noah.