Chapter 150: Crown’s First Promise (I)

Elara:

I had assumed Violet’s definition of "letting loose" involved finding the loudest club in Shadow Creek, dancing until our feet hurt, and probably making decisions we would regret the next morning.

Instead, an hour later, I found myself stepping into a private floor of one of the most expensive restaurants in town, and I couldn’t help staring around in surprise.

The entire floor had apparently been reserved for us, with elegant tables and couches arranged near floor-to-ceiling glass walls that offered an incredible view of Shadow Creek glowing beneath the winter night.

A massive bar occupied one side of the room, while several handsome servers were already waiting to bring us whatever we wanted. Somewhere near the windows, a woman sat at a grand piano, filling the room with soft, beautiful music.

Plates of food began appearing almost immediately, each one looking far too expensive for something I was supposed to casually eat while forgetting my problems.

"You have got to be kidding me," Violet muttered beside me, glaring at Jasper. "This is what you call letting loose?"

Jasper didn’t even look remotely guilty. He had driven us here himself and, after apparently hearing Violet’s plans for the evening, had decided there was absolutely no chance he was allowing me to get drunk in some crowded bar before my exams. So instead of a wild night surrounded by hundreds of people, he’d booked an entire private floor where we could drink, eat, listen to music, and still remain under his watchful eye.

Violet looked ready to murder him for ruining her plans, but eventually she had no choice except to accept the arrangement. Myra and I, however, were perfectly happy. We had handsome men serving drinks, alcohol, delicious food, music, and an incredible view without having to fight our way through a crowd. Honestly, I couldn’t understand why Violet was complaining.

By the time we settled into our seats, the light snow outside had transformed the view into something almost magical. Tiny white flakes drifted past the glass windows, catching the golden lights of the town below, while the piano filled the room with a soft melody that made the entire evening feel calmer than anything I’d experienced in weeks.

I took a slow sip of wine and allowed myself to sink comfortably into my chair, finally realizing how badly I had needed this.

There was no academy gossip here, no professors, no exams staring at me from the pages of textbooks, and most importantly... no Kairo or Esmeray. For one evening, I didn’t want to think about any of them.

I wanted to enjoy the food, the wine, the company of people I actually trusted, and the strange luxury of being able to breathe without wondering who was waiting to hurt me next.

At some point, Myra started nervously picking at her food while explaining how terrified she was about the results and how desperately she wanted to secure first place among the first-year students.

I smiled because I understood exactly what she meant. Like me, Myra was a first-year student, though her academic experience was very different from mine. She studied alongside the human students and had grown up knowing about Starfall almost her entire life because both of her parents worked at the Academy. Unlike most humans, she had never needed to discover that supernatural society existed because it had simply been part of her world from childhood.

"You know," I said after listening to her worry for several minutes, "I have actually been meaning to ask you something."

She looked at me curiously, and I rested my chin against my hand. "What do you want to do after you graduate from Moonveil?"

The question immediately made her pause. By now, I understood why Moonveil Academy offered scholarships to selected human students and allowed them to study alongside supernatural students.

Starfall needed people within the human world who could quietly navigate human society and maintain connections that couldn’t always be handled by supernatural diplomats. Those graduates could become anything from teachers and lawyers to politicians, business leaders, journalists, or even celebrities, depending on their interests and influence.

I had therefore assumed Myra would have some kind of practical plan for her future. Still, I simply hadn’t expected the answer she gave me.

"I want to become the youngest mayor of Skyline City."

For several seconds, none of us said anything. I stared at her. Violet stared at her. Even Jasper, who had been quietly eating while keeping one eye on us, stopped mid-motion and looked across the table.

Skyline City was particularly important because it was the human city geographically and politically closest to Starfall, making it the most significant bridge between the two worlds.

Myra’s cheeks immediately turned pink under our combined attention, but surprisingly, she didn’t look embarrassed enough to take the words back. Instead, she straightened slightly and quickly added, "I know it sounds ridiculous. I know it’s probably completely out of my league, but I really want to try."

She nervously wrapped both hands around her glass before continuing. "I have thought about it for years. I want my parents to have a peaceful life eventually. They have spent most of their lives working at the academy, and I want them to reach a point where they don’t have to worry about money or working until they are exhausted. But that’s not the only reason."

Her voice became more confident as she spoke. "I want to become someone who actually has power when it comes to both worlds. Someone who can make decisions that matter. Someone who can protect people instead of just watching powerful people make decisions for everyone else."

Something about the determination in her voice made me smile. Violet was the first to speak, immediately declaring that there was absolutely nothing wrong with that plan and that she was completely willing to support Myra in achieving it. Jasper agreed without hesitation, telling Myra that ambition was not something she should apologize for.

Neither of them looked at her as though her dream was impossible or laughable. They simply accepted it as a goal worth pursuing. Yet Myra still looked slightly embarrassed as she lowered her gaze toward the table. ℴ

"I know I’m not exactly the obvious candidate," she admitted quietly. "I don’t have a powerful family behind me. I don’t come from some influential political or business background. I’m just... me. I know that puts me far behind everyone else before the race even begins." She gave a small, self-conscious laugh. "I’ll still try, though. Even if the chances aren’t exactly in my favor."

I watched her for a moment, thinking about everything she had just said. She had spent years believing that her lack of a powerful family automatically placed her at a disadvantage. Maybe in the human world that was true. Maybe in Starfall, where bloodlines and noble houses carried enormous weight, it would have been even more obvious. But she was forgetting something.

Something I had only recently learned to stop seeing as a burden.

I leaned forward slightly, looking directly at her. "Myra," I said, genuinely curious, "is being supported by the Crown of Starfall still not enough to ensure your win?"