Chapter 330: New Dispute

A week had passed since the academy reopened.

It was now the second week of the semester.

And today, something happened at the academy once again.

The cafeteria was unusually noisy. Students had gathered around something in the middle of the hall, creating a large crowd while excited voices echoed throughout the room.

Noah had just entered the cafeteria with Lyria and Arisha when the commotion immediately caught their attention.

The atmosphere felt strangely familiar.

Noah experienced a sudden sense of déjà vu.

It was almost identical to the atmosphere back when Damien had gotten into a fight with Edward.

"What’s going on?" Lyria wondered, looking toward the crowd.

"Someone must be fighting," Arisha replied casually, as though there could hardly be any other explanation.

"It must be Damien. He probably got into another fight."

"Why do you think it must be him?" Lyria asked.

"Who else could it be? Don’t you remember? He got into a fight before, too."

"Yes, but that doesn’t mean—"

Before Lyria could finish her sentence, a voice from nearby interrupted them.

"It’s Damien Ashworth! He got into an argument with someone!"

A student nearby whispered excitedly to his friend before both of them hurried toward the crowd.

The three of them remained where they were for a moment.

"Sigh... It’s really him," Lyria said helplessly. "We should have joined the crowd earlier."

"It’s Noah’s fault for not being able to finish that potion in time during alchemy class. And as if that wasn’t enough, he stopped both of us from going there with him."

Noah completely ignored Arisha’s complaint.

"Putting that aside, let’s go and see who he’s arguing with this time."

The trio made their way through the crowd.

And when they finally reached the center, Noah’s expression changed.

Damien was standing there.

Emma stood behind him.

But opposite them was the last person Noah had expected to see.

A young man with dirty-blond hair and striking silver eyes stood proudly before them. He was handsome, sharp-featured, and roughly the same height as Noah.

Noah’s eyes narrowed slightly.

’Prince Justinian Augustus.’

The second prince of the Aurellian Empire.

He was a second-year student at Novaris Academy.

’How the hell did Damien manage to get on his bad side?’

Justinian stood with an elegant, proud posture, his cold eyes fixed on Damien.

"Damien, you should learn how to speak properly first. Surely, you understand who I am?"

Damien looked slightly tense.

"Your Highness, I didn’t mean it that way. I didn’t think you would take offense at what I said."

Emma immediately stepped forward and bowed.

"Please forgive Damien Ashworth, Your Highness."

She kept her head lowered.

"I apologize on his behalf."

Damien clenched his fists.

He clearly didn’t like seeing Emma apologize for something that was not her fault.

"Emma, don’t apologize. You didn’t do anything wrong. And we are not at fault."

"Then you should take responsibility for it, Damien."

Justinian took a step forward.

Several people standing behind him, his fellow second-year students and followers, remained silently behind him.

His gaze shifted toward Emma. "And you are from the Hayes family... A count-ranked family, correct?"

"Yes, Your Grace."

Emma remained bowed, her voice slightly trembling as fear crept into her heart.

Damien was about to say something when another voice suddenly entered the conversation.

"Oh my~ If it isn’t our esteemed Prince Justinian Augustus."

Everyone in the cafeteria turned toward the newcomer. And it was none other than Noah.

With a polite smile on his face, Noah walked toward Justinian. "Greetings, Brother Justinian. It has been quite some time since last we crossed paths. I trust you hasn’t forgotten this humble man?"

Justinian studied Noah for a moment. Then, a faint smirk appeared on his face.

"Of course I remember you. How could I possibly forget the exiled son of House Eldritch, whose notorious habits were once the talk of noble circles?"

Damien and Emma looked at Noah in surprise.

Noah, however, showed no reaction to the remark. His smile remained perfectly intact.

He walked forward and positioned himself between Damien and Justinian. "It is indeed an honor that Your Highness still remembers me."

Noah glanced toward Damien before returning his attention to Justinian. "Yet, judging by the present circumstances, it would seem that my friend has committed some offense against your highness. Though I know not the nature of his transgression, I humbly ask that Your Highness overlook his mistake."

Justinian let out a quiet chuckle. "Oh, Noah. When did I ever say that I intended to punish him?"

He tilted his head slightly. "Why do you assume such a thing? Am I truly so fearsome in your eyes?"

Noah maintained his polite smile. But internally, he was cursing. ’Of course you bastard. I know exactly what kind of piece of shit you are.’

As the son of a duke, Noah had naturally known the second prince since childhood. Justinian possessed everything expected of an imperial prince.

He was handsome, charming, elegant, and dignified. But Noah knew that those qualities were merely a mask.

Behind that refined appearance was a petty, arrogant, and selfish man who looked down upon commoners and rarely tolerated anything that displeased him.

Noah still didn’t know what Damien had said that had offended him.

Justinian’s expression showed no obvious anger. He was even smiling.

Yet Noah knew better. Something was wrong.

’Dammit. We never even crossed paths during the first semester. So why now?’

During the first semester, most of the conflicts had involved first-year students. But now that the second semester had begun,

Noah realized that students from the upper years might become involved as well. And if Justinian was now taking an interest in Damien.

’This is going to bring even more trouble into his life.’

"Of course not, Your Highness." Noah’s smile never faltered.

"Everyone knows that you to be a most benevolent and generous prince."

Justinian’s eyes narrowed slightly at the flattery, though his smile remained.

Noah then turned toward Damien. "Damien, you should bow and offer them apology. Do not allow others to become entangled in your mistake, nor let another speak on your behalf. If you has earn, then face it by yourself."

Damien clenched his fist again. He clearly wasn’t pleased by Noah’s words.

But he glanced around. The crowd had grown considerably larger, and even Emma had bowed before the prince to apologize on his behalf.

Noah’s words were reasonable. After a brief hesitation, Damien finally relented.

He stepped forward and bowed to Justinian. "I apologize for my mistake. I shouldn’t have said those words."

Justinian stared at Damien for a moment.

Then his expression softened into a faint smile.

"See? It was not so difficult, was it?" He spoke with the calm confidence of a senior instructing a junior.

"As thy senior, I merely wished to teach the importance of accepting responsibility for one’s mistakes."

His gaze lingered on Damien. "And you has done well. After all, you are the first-ranked student among the first years, Damien Ashworth."

He then looked around the cafeteria. "And why have all of are gathered here?"

His tone became slightly amused. "This is a cafeteria, is it not? You all to be enjoying the meal rather than standing about and watching a trivial dispute."

The students immediately began dispersing.

One by one, the crowd returned to their tables, and within moments, the commotion that had filled the cafeteria began to fade.

Just as the situation seemed to be over, however, Justinian’s gaze wandered across the room.

His silver eyes suddenly stopped. They landed on Lyria. For a brief moment, his eyes widened ever so slightly.

Then, slowly his smile grew a little wider.