Service robots were available in the cafeteria for any task, yet Xia Yan deliberately commanded Ludwig to act as his servant, trampling on his dignity.
It was simply… despicable!
Edwin’s face darkened considerably. He opened his mouth, ready to say something to stand up for Ludwig, a fellow commoner. But just as he uttered a single syllable, Betty yanked his arm forcefully.
Caught off guard, the man lost his balance and leaned to the side. Betty, quick on her feet, covered his mouth to prevent him from escalating the conflict between teammates.
Edwin, bewildered, widened his eyes in shock. “Mmph… Be… mmph mmph…”
“Stop rushing into things, you blockhead!” Betty glared at him in frustration. Then she lifted her head and, seeing Xia Yan’s equally puzzled expression, gave him an awkward smile.
“Sorry, I need to have a quick chat with Edwin about something. We’ll be right back.”
Before Xia Yan or Zhao Jiang could respond, Betty grabbed Edwin and swiftly dragged him out of the cafeteria. Only when they were far enough away to ensure their conversation wouldn’t be overheard by the S-class Xia Yan did she relax.
“What’s wrong with you?” Edwin asked, utterly confused. “Why stop me? Should we just stand by and let Xia Yan bully a commoner?”
His heart was filled with anger.
In this team… am I destined to fight alone?
Betty’s mouth twitched. “That’s just a couple having their own little fun. Why are you, an outsider, butting in?”
“A cou… a couple?!”
At that moment, it felt as if a bolt of lightning had struck Edwin’s brain, leaving it utterly blank and devoid of thought or words.
He stood there in stunned silence for who knows how long before mechanically turning his head to gaze back at the two through the window.
The artificial sunlight overhead illuminated everything. People sat in small groups, chatting quietly while occasionally sneaking glances toward a particular spot.
The center of attention was the arrogant black-haired nobleman, who leaned his head on one hand while lazily tapping the edge of a cup with a silver stir stick in the other. His posture was relaxed and elegant.
Though he hadn’t said a word, the handsome blond man across from him seemed to have received some unspoken command, dutifully adding another portion of creamer to the coffee.
—By the way, two empty creamer containers were already scattered on the table.
The deep brown coffee had turned a light khaki color, resembling a cup of sweet hot cocoa.
The young man sipped the coffee and finally revealed a satisfied expression. The blond man, who had been watching him closely, unconsciously relaxed his brows, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
Though the change in expression was subtle, it carried a sense of winter snow melting into spring.
They seemed to exist in their own world, their rapport impenetrable to outsiders.
Edwin swallowed nervously, looking as though he’d seen a ghost. Stammering, he managed to blurt out, “T-they’re d-dating?!”
“Seems like it.” Betty rubbed her chin thoughtfully. “At the very least, Ludwig definitely likes Xia Yan.”
“That’s so strange…” Edwin’s voice was dazed. “Xia Yan always prides himself on his noble status and looks down on commoners. Why would he get involved with Ludwig?”
He couldn’t help but steal another glance. And then another.
Usually, Edwin paid no attention, but after Betty’s “reminder,” he began noticing details he’d previously overlooked. Ludwig, cold and aloof to everyone else, looked at Xia Yan with a surprising gentleness.
Meanwhile, Xia Yan, usually arrogant and dismissive of everyone, seemed to secretly keep tabs on Ludwig’s every move.
What was this?
This was mutual affection!
Edwin’s body trembled with realization.
Looking around to ensure no one was eavesdropping, Betty leaned in and whispered into his ear, “Imperial succession is always cutthroat. Smearing one’s rivals isn’t uncommon.”
“…”
“Sometimes… the things we think we know aren’t the truth.” Betty sighed, then turned to see Edwin staring blankly. Remembering the conflict between him and Xia Yan, she asked, “By the way, what’s the deal with the violin in the music room?”
Though the incident had only happened a few days ago, Edwin now felt as though it had occurred in a different lifetime.
He steadied himself. “I heard someone say the school had a batch of new equipment that would be great for beginners to practice with.”
Edwin, born a commoner, came from a modest background. Fortunately, the Central Military Academy provided tuition-free education for talented students.
Compared to essential courses like battle command and mecha training, the biweekly music class was just a way to cultivate refinement.
Edwin, who had no musical talent, dreaded every class as though he were heading to his doom.
When he heard about equipment suitable for beginners, he rushed to the music room first, worried it would be taken. He saw an unfamiliar violin there and assumed it was part of the new stock.
That violin was no ordinary instrument—it was worth millions.
But the Central Military Academy wasn’t just any school.
It was the Empire’s most prestigious academy, capable of spending billions to ship live Zerg for combat training. Backed by the royal family and countless noble factions, a million-credit violin seemed entirely plausible.
Edwin hadn’t given it much thought. He picked it up and began playing, but as soon as he started, Xia Yan entered with two of his lackeys.
What happened next was common knowledge.
Betty detected a hint of a setup. “Who told you about the new equipment?”
“A… classmate?”
“Do you remember their name?”
Edwin, who lived in the dorms and got along well with his peers, tried to recall. The memory blurred—faces melted into indistinct clouds, and the noise of the group chat drowned out individual voices.
His expression froze as his heartbeat quickened.
His throat felt dry. “Could it be…” Was it all someone else’s scheme?
“Alright, stop overthinking,” Betty said, patting him on the shoulder. She gestured for him to lower his voice as their prolonged conversation had already attracted curious glances.
Edwin understood the signal and wisely stayed silent.
Humans were peculiar creatures. When he thought Xia Yan was arrogant and unapproachable, everything the man did seemed calculated and malicious.
But now, after seeing an unknown—no, a presumed—side of him and realizing he actually paid attention to a commoner, Xia Yan’s aloofness seemed less offensive. It even came across as… endearingly arrogant and cute.
Wait!
Edwin choked on his own saliva, coughing as he clumsily covered his mouth. His eyes widened in disbelief. He actually found Xia Yan arrogant and cute?!
Something had to be wrong with his brain.
Still dazed, Edwin let Betty drag him back to the table. He sat down and stared blankly at the elegant way Xia Yan dined. Perhaps Edwin’s gaze was too overt because Xia Yan suddenly looked up.
Golden eyes, like the finest gemstones, reflected dazzling brilliance. Even though he was sitting indoors without sunlight, Xia Yan seemed to radiate light.
The sheer brightness made Edwin avert his gaze out of instinctive intimidation.
Crap, crap, crap! He’d chickened out! He’d actually felt guilty under Xia Yan’s gaze! If the earlier analysis was true, then he’d been used as a pawn to drive a wedge between Xia Yan and Huo Ruihe.
Wait! Edwin forcefully reined in his scattered thoughts. Nothing has been confirmed yet. He needed more evidence. After the simulation mission, if everything really pointed back to him, he’d take responsibility and make things right.
Clenching his fist, Edwin silently vowed to himself.
Meanwhile, Xia Yan, seated diagonally across, noticed Edwin’s ever-changing expressions. Something was off.
Since returning, Edwin hadn’t made a single move to defend Ludwig.
That attitude… seemed very strange!
What had they talked about?
Xia Yan’s eyes flickered. He glanced at Ludwig beside him, then casually slid the remaining half-cup of coffee forward, deliberately ordering Ludwig around to test Edwin’s reaction.
If this had been the old Edwin, he would’ve jumped to his feet, furiously accusing Xia Yan of bullying and cruelty.
But this time… Edwin merely glanced at them deeply, his eyes showing a hint of understanding and even blessing, before silently resuming his lunch.
Xia Yan: “???”
Ludwig blinked, unsure of what Edwin was thinking, but he quite liked that look.
Betty, watching the scene, nodded in satisfaction.
A team should get along peacefully. Why create unnecessary drama?
The sole outlier, Zhao Jiang, looked around, feeling completely lost. “…” Wait! What on earth happened in the ten minutes I missed? Why is the vibe so weird?!
During the morning training, the five of them had been completely disjointed, each acting independently without any sense of teamwork.
But after lunch, Edwin and Betty’s attitudes suddenly transformed. While they didn’t follow orders blindly, their cooperation improved significantly.
Xia Yan: “?” Completely baffled.
Ludwig, as always, remained silent. Zhao Jiang, ever the fence-sitter, simply went with the flow. Seeing that the team was no longer fractured, he was overjoyed and became notably more cooperative.
By the end of the afternoon, the team had started to take shape. They would be ready for the upcoming simulation battle if nothing went wrong.
When the day finally wrapped up, Xia Yan jumped down from the mecha, his face calm but his mind swirling with questions and confusion.
Ludwig gave him an unreadable glance before asking, “Would you like to have dinner together?”
“No, no need.”
The drastic change in his teammates during a single lunch had already left Xia Yan reeling. A dinner might escalate things even further… A shiver ran down his spine as he decisively shook his head.
His response, uncharacteristically lacking in his usual arrogance, was delivered in an unexpectedly mild tone due to his shock.
Edwin froze while wiping his face with a towel. He looked at Xia Yan from afar, his gaze deep and contemplative.
Betty had been right. The relationship between Xia Yan and Ludwig wasn’t ordinary.
Xia Yan’s attitude toward his “partner” was remarkably good. If he treated everyone with the same demeanor, who wouldn’t love him? Who wouldn’t support him? With that kind of charm, how could he ever fail to claim the throne?
Edwin sighed, his expression complicated.
Xia Yan: “…” Help! Edwin is acting so strange right now!
His lips twitched, but he said nothing. Instead, he silently retracted his mecha into his spatial button. Trying to maintain an air of composure, he lifted his head and strode outside, despite feeling like his heart was in complete chaos.
His refusal to Ludwig hadn’t been a lie.
For this simulation battle, he planned to use the mech design gifted to him by the protagonist shou. It would make things easier when the protagonist shou inevitably come looking for him later.
Today, he had already arranged for someone to help modify the mech.
