"So, as you all know, I was late to show up for the examination."
Darius's voice cut through the lingering tension from the previous discussion. He stood, gathering the thick pile of documents he'd prepared, his expression unreadable but his movements deliberate.
"Just before my arrival at the academy, I was informed by House Aquilon regarding a new admission into our Talent Advancement Program—one directly vouched for by His Majesty."
Everyone's attention snapped toward the back of the room, where the two masked figures had remained silent sentinels throughout the entire meeting.
One of them stepped forward.
His hands reached up, fingers curling around the edge of the smooth black mask that had hidden his face.
Then he pulled it off.
Brown hair, slightly messy, fell across his forehead. Blue eyes—sharp, analytical, carrying an edge of amusement—scanned the room like he was appraising livestock at a market.
He coughed slightly, clearing his throat. "Hello, guys."
His voice was lighter than expected. Almost friendly
"I'm Dhaga. And—" He waved his hand dismissively, cutting through whatever formalities might have been expected. "So, basically, cutting this long summit short: I'm the newly assigned guardian of Prince Agni."
The room went still.
"So you guys can leave his recovery and all the paperwork stuff to me," Dhaga continued, that easy grin never leaving his face. "That's all."
That's all?
Then Lyralei's hand moved, fingers sliding across the table to lift one of the documents Darius had placed down. Her eyes scanned it quickly, expression unchanging but her grip tightening on the parchment's edge.
Name: Dhaga
Special Element Magic: ???
That was it. No family name. No background. No detailed combat record. Just a name and a question mark.
What is this? Lyralei thought, her jaw tightening. This doesn't even qualify as a proper document.
"Darius," she said slowly, voice dangerously calm, "what exactly am I looking at?"
"I mean," Dhaga interrupted.
"you guys can continue this fancy setup meeting that's been going on for so long. I have to say, it's very nice seeing you all play leaders."
His tone was light, teasing, but there was an edge underneath it. Like a blade hidden behind silk.
"I do understand that heirs are supposed to handle Talent Advancement Program matters when they're present at the academy," he continued, pacing slowly along the side of the table. "But regarding the rest of this meeting? It seems like you're really just playing house."
The temperature in the room spiked.
Literally.
Heat exploded outward from Ignatia's side of the table—sudden, oppressive, suffocating, and the hair on Dhaga's arms and the back of his neck stood up, like he'd been targeted by a lightning strike about to hit.
Lyralei's voice cut through the heat, cold and sharp. "I believe that even as guardian of the prince, these provocations are simply too much, aren't they?"
Ignatia leaned forward slightly, her heterochromia eyes locked on Dhaga like targeting sights. "If you intend on cutting this meeting short, how about you state your intentions clearly?"
Dhaga clapped his hands together once, the sound sharp in the tense room. "Yes! Yes! Exactly. Thank you, Lady Ignatia. Let me be clear, then."
He held up one finger. "First: Leave Prince Agni's health and recovery to me. I don't want any of you dull-nosed types sniffing around."
Suzzy opened her mouth to protest, but Dhaga was already raising a second finger.
"Second: Stop investigating Prince Agni's travel routes. Seems like one of you took his route map and sent a chimp to investigate."
Vera flinched. Lyralei's expression didn't change, but her fingers curled into a fist on the armrest.
"I mean, what do you guys think?" Dhaga's voice dripped with sarcasm. "Like royal roads are a joke? Something to put in newspapers for daily reading?"
He turned directly to Lyralei, blue eyes locking onto hers. "Even as the prince's fiancée, it's quite rude what you did. It breaches—and overreaches—your position."
Lyralei's eyebrow raised slowly, dangerously.
"Don't worry," Dhaga continued breezily, waving a hand. "Royal guards have apprehended Lilly. She'll be returned to her room, so you can rest assured. We haven't arrested her or anything legal—honestly, that would be a waste of paper and time."
Lilly.
Vera's face went pale.
Dhaga raised a third finger. "Third: Regarding paperwork—all transactions you've made until now and going forward will require proper accounting submissions."
He paused, letting that sink in. "They will no longer be handled by Sun Empire accountants. Each transaction will need my approval before it's sent to the empire."
"And additionally," Dhaga said, his voice taking on an almost cheerful tone that made the words somehow worse, "you guys are in debt. Five million gold coins. Divided evenly among the five of you."
The room exploded.
"What?!" Michael shot to his feet, chair scraping back. "Why?!"
Dhaga nodded approvingly. "Good question. Because you bought this place." He tapped the desk for emphasis. "This mansion. This entire property."
His voice dripped with sarcasm. "See, nowhere in any documents or permissions does it mention that the prince was to be moved around like furniture by dukes' and grand dukes' children. Yet you guys deemed it fit to buy a mansion, name it 'Sun Mansion,' then buy a ton of medical equipment to turn it into a private hospital."
He looked around the table, expression mocking. "All without consulting anyone from the royal family."
Ignatia's face had gone pale.
"So," Dhaga continued, counting on his fingers, "buying a mansion worth one million gold coins, then spending another five million on medical equipment… all charged not under your family names, but using the royal family card."
His blue eyes locked onto Ignatia. "What explanation do you have, Lady Ignatia?"
Ignatia opened her mouth. Closed it. Opened it again. No words came out.
"I believe it was my permission," Lyralei cut in, voice sharp, clearly pissed. "I have access to royal funds based on trust from His Majesty—"
"Again," Dhaga interrupted smoothly, "I highly doubt that would qualify as a reason."
He smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "After all, was it such a short matter that you didn't have any intervention at any point during the week? You just passed the duty on to Lady Ignatia."
He tilted his head. "Is that what you're going to do in the future? Pass on financial, strategic, and all other decisions to someone else?"
"So what I want to say is," Dhaga continued, pulling out an white scroll with 14 stamps.
"I'm assigned not only as guardian for Prince Agni but also as a disciplinary member for the heirs."
"By approval of His Majesty, and all the dukes and the Grand Duke himself."
Ignatia and Lyralei's eyes fell on their family stamps simultaneously.
The Vermillion flame.
The Valen sword and shield.
Both glowing faintly, unmistakable.
"You guys will be under my surveillance," Dhaga said pleasantly. "Please act mindfully while paying your respective debts."
He pulled out another sheet, reading aloud like a town crier announcing executions.
"Let's see… Lyralei Valen: one million gold coins. Your current personal wealth is around 443,573 gold."
Lyralei's breath stopped.
"Ignatia Vermillion: one million gold coins. Your personal wealth is around 250,000 gold."
Ignatia's fingers froze on the table.
"Suzzy Goldmeadow: one million gold coins. Your personal wealth is around 103,883 gold."
Suzzy's face drained of color.
"Michael Aurelian: one million gold coins. Your personal wealth is around 511,434 gold."
Michael's mouth opened, but no sound came out.
"Darius Aquilon: one million gold coins. Your personal wealth is around 154,034 gold."
Darius closed his eyes, exhaling slowly.
"All your personal wealth will be seized to pay the debt," Dhaga finished cheerfully.
"No—no, you can't do that!" Michael's voice cracked, rising in pitch. "I saved so much! I was going to upgrade my armor! You—"
His eyes rolled back.
He fainted, slumping forward onto the table with a dull thud.
Dhaga shrugged. "I'm sure someone of your caliber should know how this works, right?"
He glanced at the unconscious Michael, then continued. "Of course, all personal monthly allowances from your parents will be put on hold until you clear the debts. So your parents can't bail you out." He tapped the stamped document again. "It's official."
Suzzy's blue eyes went wide with horror. "Then how am I supposed to eat?!"
Dhaga blinked innocently. "The academy provides free food, right?"
"But I need cakes! And pastries! And—"
"Do those come under essential items?" Dhaga asked, genuinely curious.
Suzzy's eyes rolled back. She swayed once, twice, then collapsed sideways out of her chair.
Lyralei glanced at Suzzy's unconscious form, then turned back to Dhaga, her voice cold and controlled. "You mentioned the amount spent was six million. So why are we only paying back five million?"
Dhaga nodded, as if pleased she'd noticed. "Well, that comes under an exemption—since you all did this in good faith for the prince's recovery."
Ignatia spoke then, her voice tight and controlled. "Will there be interest on the amount?"
Dhaga's smile softened, almost genuine for a moment. "No. I mean, that would be too cruel, wouldn't it?"
Then he pulled a small silver bell from his coat pocket and rang it once.
Ting.
The sound echoed through the room like a judge's gavel.
"This concludes the First Summit of the Sun," Dhaga announced cheerfully.
Then he turned and walked out, boots clicking against marble, the door closing softly behind him.
The room was left in shambles.
Michael, unconscious, face-down on the table.
Suzzy, out cold.
Vera, trembling against the wall.
Darius, silent, staring at nothing, jaw still clenched.
Ignatia, frozen, hands still gripping the table's edge.
And Lyralei, black eyes burning with barely restrained fury, staring at the closed door like she could set it on fire through sheer force of will.