The evening glow of the town center was fading, replaced by the dim lights of the street lamps and the soft hum of activity from various establishments.
Among them, a small, dimly lit tavern bustled with the laughter and conversation of noble students from Ravenwood Academy, their refined robes and blazers contrasting sharply with their uncouth behavior.
The place smelled of ale and the clinking of glasses and mugs a constant backdrop to the low hum of voices.
Seated around a large 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, their laughter punctuated by the occasional crude comment.
"Did you see that girl in the town square today?" one of them, a broad-shouldered boy with slicked-back hair, slurred, grinning widely.
"A commoner, but gods, she was prettier than my fiancée. Think her name was... what, Mira?
I swear, some of these commoners 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 the commoners are willing to do anything for a few gold coins?
Their parents practically throw them at you if you offer enough."
They all laughed, the kind of laughter that dripped with malice and entitlement.
The subject shifted between their plans to seduce—or more accurately, to purchase—the affections of various commoner girls they had encountered.
"Tell me about it!" one noble exclaimed, 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 place."
The group erupted into another round of vile laughter, 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 place like this.
The nobles quickly composed themselves as she made her way over to the table.
One of them, Caleb, noticed her first.
His dark hair fell lazily over his forehead as he leaned back in his chair, his eyes gleaming with drunken amusement.
"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 flashed through his mind. Seeing Noah standing there, so smug in that red blazer, had made his blood boil.
How could someone like Noah, someone so beneath him, be placed in A-class?
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 playing at the corner of her lips.
"Then we have something in common...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 played 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.