With a guttural cry, a middle-aged man stepped out from among the guards. He wore white armor and carried a greatsword at his waist. His very presence exuded an authority that brooked no argument; he was clearly not someone to be trifled with.

This man was Matthew, a Swordsman who had achieved the rank of Sword Saint. However, having only recently broken through, he was still in the "Novice" stage! Every rank for a Swordsman was divided into four tiers, progressing from lowest to highest: Novice, Lower, Middle, and Upper. The mere fact that someone could command a Sword Saint as a guard spoke volumes about the visitor's extraordinary status!

The moment Matthew entered the establishment, a young woman alighted from the most opulent carriage. Though possessing a certain beauty, her heavy, artificial makeup lent her an air that was profoundly off-putting.

Upon the girl's descent, the guards instantly formed two lines, bowing deeply with expressions of utmost deference. The girl was clad in white silk, intricately studded with various jewels. Even just by this attire, it was obvious the young woman was either exceedingly wealthy or of noble birth! Particularly noticeable was a strange, uniquely shaped badge pinned to her chest.

This young woman was Loris, the pampered daughter of a Duke. She was passing through on her way back to school and decided to stop here for a rest.

Loris paid no heed to the reverence shown by her escort, proceeding into the "Tianxing Hotel" with an arrogant stride. The guards left a small contingent to secure the carriages outside, while the rest followed her within.

When Loris entered and saw Matthew still conferring with the front desk staff, she frowned immediately and called out sharply, "Are you not done yet?"

Hearing her summons, Matthew approached. "My Lady, the fifth floor is currently occupied by guests. The staff says we must wait a moment!"

"I will not wait. I want that room now. Go tell those people to get out," Loris snapped, clearly accustomed to getting her way and lacking any patience for delays.

A look of extreme difficulty crossed Matthew’s face. He ventured, "My Lady, the people upstairs should be finished shortly. Perhaps if we—"

"Who is in charge here, you or I?" Loris challenged, arching an eyebrow and fixing Matthew with a glare.

Matthew’s brow twitched in response, but he said nothing more, adopting the posture of one who accepts correction meekly.

Loris scoffed, ignoring Matthew entirely, and headed directly toward the fifth floor. The guards naturally trailed close behind her. With no recourse, Matthew followed as well.

As this group ascended to the fifth floor, they instantly became the focus of every eye, including Zhong Shenxiu's. However, Zhong Shenxiu merely glanced over once before lowering his gaze; he clearly held little interest in these newcomers. Robin, meanwhile, hadn't even lifted her head, her small face seemingly buried in her bowl, her mouth ceaselessly working since the food arrived.

Kainé seemed quite curious and leaned toward Xia Luo beside her, whispering, "Who are these people?" She asked Xia Luo specifically because she knew Xia Luo had traveled widely and might recognize something about them.

Xia Luo had also been observing the group. Hearing Kainé's question, she quickly drew her attention back and whispered in return, "It's hard to say for certain, but judging by their appearance, they must be nobility. And looking at the badge on that girl's chest, she is likely a student of the 'Amir Magic and Martial Arts Academy.'"

"Ah!" Cherie gasped in surprise. Seeing everyone turn to look at her, she stuck out her tongue sheepishly before lowering her voice to ask, "Sister Xia Luo, did you say that girl is from the 'Amir Magic and Martial Arts Academy'?"

Xia Luo nodded; she couldn't be mistaken. She knew that badge on Loris’s chest intimately. The reason was simple: Xia Luo had been defeated—utterly crushed—by someone from the 'Amir Magic and Martial Arts Academy' during the 'Royal Tournament' years ago. It was one of the greatest disgraces of her life, which is why she usually avoided mentioning the 'Royal Tournament.'

"So what if she's from the 'Amir Magic and Martial Arts Academy'?" Rhys asked, unable to contain his curiosity. After all, this was his first time venturing out into the wider world, and it was understandable that he was ignorant of certain things.

But Cherie still couldn't help being momentarily shocked, staring at Rhys with disbelief. "No way, you haven't even heard of the 'Amir Magic and Martial Arts Academy'?"

As she finished speaking, Angelia’s expression also became slightly unnatural, as this was the first time she had heard the name as well.

Rhys nodded, being quite honest. "I haven't seen much of the world, so I don't know much. What exactly is this 'Amir Magic and Martial Arts Academy'?"

Cherie, having finally found a topic she could elaborate on to her heart's content, instantly became animated. "In our Winter Moon Empire, there are five internationally renowned academies. And the 'Amir Magic and Martial Arts Academy' ranks second among them!"

Rhys had no frame of reference for the Five Great Academies, so he remained unsurprised and continued, "Then what is the name of the one ranked first?"

"The one ranked first is the 'Crown Glory Magic and Martial Arts Academy.' And I'll share one more piece of information," Cherie paused, then added, "My second brother, Norman—don't let his lazy appearance fool you—is actually incredibly strong. He is currently studying at the fifth-ranked 'Wu Xing Magic and Martial Arts Academy!'"

After saying this, she glanced toward Angeliya, who sat at Norman’s table.

At this moment, Norman was unaware that his sister was discussing him. He, like everyone else, was observing the newcomers, and his attention was drawn to the badge on Loris’s chest.

Loris, meanwhile, seemed completely oblivious to the attention she was receiving, as if she were long accustomed to such scrutiny. She cast a contemptuous glance around the room. When her eyes landed on Kainé, she paused, momentarily stunned by the existence of such exceptional beauty. But this awe was instantly usurped by a wave of jealousy. Why is she so beautiful? And what good is beauty? In front of me, she still has to bow and flatter me!

Women are prone to jealousy, and this trait manifests even more intensely in those blessed with power and status. With this thought, a smugness settled over her. She quickly signaled one of the guards beside her.

The guard understood immediately and bellowed, "Listen up, everyone! Clear out quickly. This entire place has been reserved by us!" As if on cue, the other guards stepped forward, sweeping their sinister gazes over every diner. Their hands instinctively gripped the swords hanging at their waists.

The fifth floor was not crowded to begin with, and the few tables already dining were nearly finished. Not wanting to invite unnecessary trouble, the patrons began to stand and file out one by one. Although the people dining here were not destitute, there remained a significant gulf between the merely wealthy and true nobility. In the face of nobility, the rich and the poor were essentially the same! These people were not fools; they could instantly tell that Loris was a noble of no small stature, otherwise, she would never command such a large entourage.

Watching table after table empty, the smile on Loris’s face widened, radiating a distinct sense of accomplishment.

Norman and his companions exchanged glances. While they resented the guards' insolence, they were hesitant to stir up trouble. This was different from other conflicts; offending nobility could potentially implicate their entire families! Furthermore, these guards looked formidable. If a fight broke out, they were sure to be the ones losing.

At this crucial juncture, Norman adopted the mindset of "better safe than sorry" and intended to leave with the other patrons. However, he couldn't shake his concern for his sister, so he looked toward Zhong Shenxiu's table. To his astonishment, not a single person at Zhong Shenxiu's table showed any sign of alarm. They continued doing whatever they were doing, acting as if they hadn't heard the guards' warning at all! Even his sister, Cherie, was chatting cheerfully as if discussing some entertaining topic.

What should I do? This question flashed through Norman's mind. Finally, he summoned his courage and called out to Cherie, "Sister, shouldn't we leave first?"

He might not care about others, but he had to look out for his sister. This was the bond of blood, the tether of kinship!

Cherie was in the middle of an animated discussion when her brother’s voice cut in. She spared him only a quick glance. "Oh? Brother, you're leaving? Then I won't see you out!"

With that, she immediately launched back into her story with gusto, speaking as if narrating an epic tale to an audience. Norman was infuriated. He couldn't believe his sister was making jokes at such a critical moment, making him desperate!

Just as Norman was at a loss, the guard who had shouted earlier called out again, "You there! Did you not hear what I said?" Before nobles, these guards were subservient, but toward commoners, they assumed an air of superiority fueled by the powerful backing they enjoyed.

"We're leaving!" It was Mars who spoke. Analyzing the situation, he concluded that retreat was the best course of action. Mars stood up first and subtly signaled the others, conveying the need to endure this indignity for now. The others nodded with expressions of frustration. If Loris had been a man, they might have demanded a fair duel, but dealing with a young woman—

"Norman," Mars called out, motioning for Norman to quickly persuade Cherie and the others to leave as well.

Norman knew there was no time for hesitation and hurried to Cherie's side. But Cherie spoke before he could. "Oh? Second Brother, didn't you say you were leaving? Why haven't you gone yet?"

Norman was utterly speechless, thinking to himself: My silly sister, look at the situation! Why are you still joking with your own brother?

Meanwhile, Loris, observing the woman who inspired her jealousy—Kainé—still sitting calmly and eating slowly, felt a blaze of fury rising within her. She turned to a nearby guard and commanded, "Go, throw them out!"

A few overconfident brutes accepted the order and strode toward Zhong Shenxiu's table... For the continuation of this story, please visit Ji and access more chapters. Support the author, support genuine reading!