Chapter 14 “ royal faction” part 2
Nox and Alber finished stretching behind the building. Alber crossed his arms and sighed.
“I already told you, I don’t like Sisbell. Stop misunderstanding,” Alber muttered.
Alber raised a brow. “Then what now? Her problem isn’t something that gets resolved easily.”
Nox turned serious. “Yeah… I know.”
Nox rubbed his temple. This isn’t something Headmaster James Moriarty can solve, and even if we change her class, her situation won’t change…he thought
After thinking for a while, he looked at Alber.
“Alber, you said those bullies were from the Royal Faction, right? Who’s handling the Royal Faction inside the academy?”
Alber blinked. “If you mean the official face, that’s Her Highness Ophelia Arden Vin Nosterio, the Second Princess… but that’s only for show. There’s one more person who actually matters here—Chris Van Kraft.”
Nox froze Kraft? Aren’t they from the neighboring kingdom? He thought but act dumb
“who the hell him atleast explain before telling noble name ”
Alber stared at him with disbelief. “You don’t know? He’s the Second Prince. Brother of the current head of the Kraft Family. And brother of Sigrid Van Kraft—the fiancée of our kingdom’s First Prince.”
Before he finished, Nox cut him off with a wave.
“Enough. Don’t teach me politics. I’m not interested. Let’s just go talk to him.”
“Are we really doing this?” Alber asked.
“Yes,” Nox said flatly as they walked off.
They quietly sneaked toward the Royal Faction’s base—the famous Chess Club Room.
Inside, silence hung heavy. Chris Van Kraft sat at the center table, his blonde hair glowing under the lamp, blue eyes fixed on a chessboard. Behind him stood his personal attendant—Viona, a short-haired girl with a cold expression.
On the opposite side sat the group that had bullied Liora, looking pale.
Chris let out a long sigh. “What kind of trouble did They cause this time?”
Viona bowed slightly. “They bullied Special Admission Student Liora. Lady Scarlet found out. A student reported it to me, so I brought them here.”
Chris leaned back. “Scarlet isn’t a problem. After that recent incident, she can’t do anything reckless. For now, send them back with a warn—”
SLAM!!
The door burst open and two students toppled over.
Alber whispered, “Did we really have to kick the door?!”
Nox clicked his tongue. “They were blocking my way. They fell. That’s not my fault Alber.”
Chris turned slowly, eyeing them. “So… what brings a Special Admission and a Duke Heir to the Royal Faction?”
“i have complained to sir Chris and aren't you that boy from the training ground ”nox say
He rose from his seat, noble aura filling the room.
Nox pointed casually at the bullies. “They picked on my friend. I thought you’d handle it. Aren’t you the one raising these idiots? Papa Chris”
Chris chuckled lightly. “Fair enough.”
He walked to the boy. “I heard what happened. I’m sorry they caused trouble. I’ll make sure it never happens again.”
Then—
SLAP!!
The boy staggered.
“Y-Your High—”
Chris grabbed his head and slammed it into the wall.
BANG!!
Everyone fell silent.
Nox blinked. Alber clicked his tongue.
“Tsk. That’s why I hate meeting him,” Alber muttered.
Chris kept his grip. “Do you know how troublesome it is to deal with idiots like you?”
BANG!
Another slam.
Before he could hit again, Nox caught his arm and delivered a swift axe kick to stop him.
Chris looked annoyed. “What? I was teaching them a lesson.”
Nox frowned. “If you’re going to do it, do it faster. I’m not done talking with you.”
Chris glanced down at his uniform stained with blood and his ruined gloves.
“…You’re right.” He turned. “Viona, tea for our guests.”
“I don’t need tea,” Nox said sharply. “I don’t care why they bullied her. I just want you—no, the whole Royal Faction—to make sure it never happens again.”
Chris nodded. “Why would we? We gain nothing from this. I didn’t know either. So I apologize, Sir Nox Moon.”
His gaze hardened. “I hope you and Lady Scarlet don’t carry a hate against me.”
Nox and Chris stared at each other, neither blinking. Alber stood beside Nox, Viona behind Chris.
Nox stepped back first. “If that’s all, I’m glad we talked. Thank you for your cooperation, Sir Chris.”
Chris smiled faintly. “Leaving already? At least take tea. Or we could play chess. This is a chess club after all ”
Nox laughed lightly. “Next time. If I don’t go back, someone’s waiting for me.righ now”
Nox and Alber left.
After they disappeared, Chris’s face dropped back into coldness.
“Viona, clean the mess. And tell me the report on that Ophelia chick’s background check on him.”
Viona bowed. “As you commanded, we blocked the princess’s initial request. We made sure no one in the Royal Faction offended Nox Moon before… but this incident changed things.”
Chris rubbed his forehead. “I don’t want him as an enemy. Not until we succeed with my sister’s marriage plan. Inform every member: do not bully Liora again. And never provoke Nox Moon or people around him.”
Viona: “Understood.”
Chris leaned on the table, staring at the blood on the wall.
Nox Moon… Why does his energy feel familiar? His face too… where have I seen him? Chris thought
He sank into thought.
After leaving the Royal Faction, Nox and Alber walked toward the back dormitory.
“This is the only place Scarlet can’t enter… right?” Alber said nervously.
Nox nodded. “We forgot about that. If Scarlet finds out, she’ll get angry. So don’t step outside until tomorrow.”
Both of them let out a long sigh.
“Well… at least the problem is resolved,” Alber said. “Chris is always like that. Brutal.”
He collapsed onto the bed. Nox sat at the desk, opening his black notebook—but his mind drifted elsewhere.
Sigrid Van Kraft… that woman was a snake. No—her whole family.
By coexisting with beast-folk, their family rose to become the Second Royal Household of the Elation Kingdom.
When I was seventeen, I worked with her as James Moriarty. In exchange, she let me investigate the Zodiac and my brother.
I never expected her brother to be the same kind of snake…
He exhaled deeply.
She doesn’t know my real face or full story, but if possible, I want to avoid the entire Kraft family.
Alber had already fallen asleep.
“I’ll go for a walk,” Nox whispered.
He stepped outside, his steps silent, his presence fading as he used Noctrul and Vansied. Soon, he was in Headmaster Velmira’s office.
Velmira was buried in paperwork. She didn’t look up.
“When did you start coming here without an invitation, Nox?”
Nox frowned. “Don’t play dumb. I bet you know what happened today.”
Velmira chuckled. “Well, I know a little. Not the full details. But you’re getting more troublesome each day.”
Nox sat on the couch. She’s not wrong, he thought.
“Any information for me?” he asked.
She shook her head. “I was busy. Besides, the first-year test is soon. Don’t depend on me.Always ”
She sighed dramatically. “You’re James Moriarty—the kid who became a wanted criminal at sixteen. Four years have passed, but—”
“Shut up.” Nox’s voice hardened. “If you have nothing important, then don’t bother.”
Velmira slowly looked at him. “Watch your mouth. Being a Moon family member doesn’t give you the right to talk like that in my academy.”
Nox lowered his head slightly. “Sorry. I lost my temper since I gained nothing from coming here. What test were you talking about?”
Velmira crossed her arms. “I forgive you. And don’t try to dig information out of me.”
Nox’s face stiffened. She’s annoyingly sharp.
He changed the topic. “By the way… you were watching us, weren’t you? That spatial vision of yours i sense in the whole academy. You should’ve seen the bullying. Why didn’t you stop it?”
“I knew,” she said casually. “But it wasn’t serious, so I didn’t intervene. And you know, a 9th-tier mage, handling kid fights isn’t part of my job. I planned to suspend them anyway.”
She tilted her head. “But I’m surprised you know who Liora is. And you still tried to be her friend? Elina Altia—her big sister—is an Imperial Knight Captain.”
Nox nodded lightly. “I know. But Nox is her friend. Not James Moriarty. So it’s fine.”
Velmira gently patted his head.
“You’re changing here. Enjoy your time as a student.”
Nox looked down. “I’m trying… to be normal. Just once. I bet my brother wanted the same.”
Velmira froze for a moment.
Yeah… everything changed after your brother left home. If that war never happened, maybe the Moon family wouldn’t be cursed… and this kid wouldn’t have suffered like this.
She shook off the mood and grinned mischievously.
“By the way—Scarlet or Liora. Who are you interested in?”
Nox stiffened. “What do you mean interested? Liora is my friend. And Scarlet is…”
He paused. What is she, actually?
Velmira smirked. “Your love at first sight?”
Nox shot up. “Shut up. I’m leaving. Going back to my room.”
He slammed the door behind him.
Velmira laughed softly. “He really is changing. At this rate he’ll turn into a real casanova.” She stretched. “I should send details to his father.”
She grinned wickedly.
