Knight | Celeste Academy Series BK #1

25th Chapter ♣ Charles's Kitchen

"Bow." He emphasized the word assertively, glaring at each of them with ice-cold eyes.

The pressure on Charles' gaze was so heavy that none of them could protest.

"Wait, Charles. It's alright. I don't need trouble."

"Disrespecting calls for much serious offence and you're telling me to wait?"

"I know that," she said. "I've humiliated him enough the last time. I even returned the favor twice as big. I just don't want any more trouble."

"You! I don't regret what I've done one bit!"

Valeriana rolled her eyes. "Just shut up for a moment! If you don't shut it, I'll cut your foot off and shove it down your throat!"

The fourth-ranker glanced questioningly at Valeriana's direction. This girl had menacing threats of her own. "If you wish to no longer push this, then . . . Valeriana, let us go. Corvan is getting impatient."

"Oh, um . . . alright."

As Valeriana and Charles passed by the librarian on their way out, Rinda spoke in a flat, but warning tone. "Next time, do you mind taking your fight out of my library?"

"We'll try, ma'am," Charles answered. "Please pardon us for today."

Rinda did not speak further and continued focusing on the documents she was working on. Valeriana uttered a small apology to the woman before following the fourth-ranker. Charles opened the door for them and closed it behind him gently, making no unnecessary noises except for the creaking.

"Next time," he started, and gave Valeriana a stern look. "Bring a sword with you. The academy's regulation does not forbid its students to carry around a weapon which they are comfortable with, so long as you don't draw it without valid reasons."

"I see . . . I'll keep that in mind, then," she muttered. "Thank you for back there, but that wasn't necessary. I would've been able to handle it myself just fine," she told Charles.

"I shall try my best," he replied softly. "It's just an old habit of mine."

"Interfering?"

Charles raised a brow at her. "Not . . . exactly . . ." He trailed off, pushing back the glasses on his nose. Surely, he wasn't pleased by the girl's straightforward comments. "But if there's a person I can't stand, it's someone who does not act properly, so you can say I just did that by instinct."

"Alright. If you say so."

Charles was expecting the girl to look like she was scared to the boot, but the calm expression on her face completely thwarted his expectations. She was truly unpredictable.

"How can you be so calm after being threatened like that?"

"I've been bullied before and it wasn't exactly a pleasant experience." She shrugged. "I've been in fights before . . . and people say I pack quite a punch. Besides, I've decided to attend this academy and choices always come in package."

"So you're fine with the fact that almost every student in this academy scorns you?"

"I'm not fine with it," she answered. "That's why I'm going to change it," she quickly added.

Charles curiously stared at the girl for a moment.

"After you give that book to Corvan, why don't you accompany me to the kitchen and help me cook?" Charles asked.

"What? Really? I thought the kitchen was off-limits."

"It's alright. You have my permission."

"Okay. I'll help cook dinner then. Is it alright if I change clothes first, though? I don't want to get this stained."