Season 3 Chapter 2

Karim turned to Luca with a surprised and slightly tense look.

“Seriously? What the hell does that have to do with anything?” he asked.

Luca folded his arms, his expression skeptical. “Come on, I’ve seen the way you look at her. And honestly, I think she might like you too.”

That completely threw Karim off. “What? Are you serious?” he said, his voice tinged with panic.

Luca tried to hold back his laughter, looking away and shaking his head.

“Nope,” he said—and burst into laughter.

For a moment, Karim looked pissed, but then he took a deep breath and realized Luca was just messing with him.

After Luca’s laughter died down a little, he added in a more serious tone: “But really, man—if you’ve got feelings for Emily, just say it. Because if you bottle it up, it’ll eat you alive from the inside.”

It was one of those classic Karim-and-Luca moments, where the line between joke and truth blurred. Karim didn’t want to take it seriously… but Luca’s words started lingering in the back of his mind.

As the first light of morning crept in, Karim and Luca dressed and headed quickly to the General’s house.

Karim had told Junya what was going on before leaving. Junya, of course, had started by mocking his brother’s outfit, but then grew serious and didn’t comment much. He asked for just one thing: “Tell me everything you see out there.”

When they reached the front of the General’s house, the first thing that caught their eyes was a grand, luxurious carriage. Polished wooden carvings adorned its sides, and it was pulled by four powerful horses— a clear sign that wherever they were headed, it wasn’t somewhere ordinary.

As Karim and Luca approached the carriage, the General stuck his head out the window and gave a quick nod, signaling them to get in.

Sitting side by side inside, the two realized they were waiting on Emily, and settled in patiently.

But as time passed, the wait started to drag. Ten minutes, maybe fifteen—still no sign of her.

Just as Luca was about to ask, “Is it normal to wait this long?”, the General cut in with his signature dry sarcasm:

“Yes, gentlemen… Rule number one of marriage and courtship: While it may take you five minutes to get ready for dinner or a ball, for women, it can take twenty goddamn years.”

Karim and Luca burst out laughing at the General’s remark.

But the laughter stopped the moment Emily stepped outside.

She wore a long, elegant yellow dress. A delicate green necklace shimmered at her neck, and the black polish on her nails gave her a sharp but noble edge.

Her movements were graceful, her expression calm and confident.

Karim tried not to look too impressed, but truth be told—he had never seen Emily look this striking.

She climbed into the carriage briskly and took her seat.

And just like that, the journey began.

The inside of the carriage smelled faintly of polished wood. The General knocked twice on the wooden wall to signal the driver. The loose wheels groaned as they rolled against the uneven stone path. The horses let out a soft whinny as they began to move, and the Academy slowly faded from view behind them.

For a while, silence filled the carriage. Only the rhythmic creaking of wood and the steady clatter of hooves broke the quiet.

Just as Luca opened his mouth to ask a question, the General spoke first:

“Let me stop you before you even ask. We’ve got a seven-hour ride ahead of us. There will be only one stop along the way.

And again—before you ask… yes, we’re going to a ball.”

Karim and Luca turned to the General with a look of pure surprise.

“This ball will be attended by select nobles and high-ranking officers from the region,” the General continued. “So I expect you to watch your fucking behavior. Even a tiny misunderstanding could spiral into something much bigger.

“And… don’t forget that you’re still Academy soldiers. Just like me.”

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The weight in the General’s voice left no room for doubt—this wasn’t just some fancy outing.

As the carriage carried them farther from the Academy, Luca couldn’t hold back his curiosity any longer. “So, what exactly are we gonna be doing?”

The General kept his eyes fixed on the road outside the small carriage window. “You’ll mostly be staying close to Emily.”

Karim and Luca exchanged a quick glance, then looked sideways at Emily. She sat with her arms crossed, staring out the window with a bored expression.

“Most lords look for a chance to drag a soldier’s daughter into their bed—or worse, get lost in much darker thoughts.”

The disgust in the General’s voice was unmistakable.

“I won’t let my daughter get dragged into that filth. And… one of the officers attending this ball is obsessed with her. He’s the real reason we’re being this cautious.”

At those words, Emily whipped her head around and snapped, “I can protect myself, Dad!”

The General, as if expecting her reaction, replied calmly: “I know, sweetheart. But those thick-headed bastards are too stupid to understand that.

That’s why… Karim and Luca will be by your side the whole time. Anyone who sees you with them will know you’re not up for their bullshit.”

Emily clenched her jaw but didn’t say another word.

As the tension in the carriage grew, Karim spoke up to break the silence. “So… where exactly are we going?”

The General turned his gaze to Karim and replied, his tone clear and unwavering: “Valthoria.”

From her seat, Emily shifted slightly. Karim and Luca exchanged a quick glance at the mention of that name— Valthoria carried a weight of its own.

“The war is still going,” the General said, his voice tinged with disdain, “but since victory seems guaranteed, the celebrations have already started early.

Not that it makes any of this shit easier to tolerate.”

He scrunched his face slightly and turned his head toward the window.

“That’s why we’ll be leaving again tomorrow night.”

Silence returned to the carriage, broken only by the faint sound of wind brushing against the wooden panels.

After seven long hours on the road, the majestic skyline of Valthoria began to take shape on the horizon. Soaring towers, massive stone walls, and caravans moving beneath the grand entry gates all signaled just how large and important the city truly was.

Inside the carriage, the fatigue of the journey lingered heavily in the air. But as they drew closer to Valthoria’s splendor, everyone instinctively sat up a bit straighter, their eyes drawn to the approaching city.

At the gate, guards were stopping each carriage, checking papers and asking questions. But as soon as the General reached inside his coat and pulled out his rank medallion, the guards immediately stood at attention and cleared the way without a word.

“Can you believe this?” the General said with a faint, mocking smile curling at the corner of his mouth.

“This tiny piece of metal says I’m more important than you—and everyone else out there. It says guards should risk their lives for me. That I deserve protection.”

Karim noticed the irony in his tone and raised an eyebrow. “You don’t sound too thrilled about that.”

The General slowly shook his head and sighed. “I was born into a poor family, son. My mother left me and my father because we had nothing. My old man had to raise me alone.”

It was the first time Karim and Luca had heard anything about the General’s past.

“This little piece of metal,” he said, gripping the medallion tightly in his palm, “If I had it back when I was a kid… things would’ve been very different. But being a general doesn’t make me any better than you. I’m still human—just like you.”

The carriage rolled across the cobbled courtyard and finally came to a stop.

One of the guards rushed forward and opened the General’s door. He adjusted his coat before stepping out with slow, deliberate steps.

At the same time, another guard opened the opposite door, and Emily stepped out gracefully.

Karim and Luca followed, exiting from separate doors, both taking a moment to scan their surroundings.

They were standing before the grand ballroom of Valthoria.

Massive stone pillars surrounded the building’s towering entrance, their tops adorned with gleaming golden trim.

As the guards led the carriages away, soft music and lively chatter drifted from inside—the ball was already in full swing.

The General climbed the first steps of the grand staircase, but paused halfway. He turned back to the boys and spoke in a grave, steady voice:

“Whatever happens… do not draw your swords. A sword drawn here doesn’t go back in its sheath without blood,” the General said. “As long as it stays where it belongs, there’s no problem. But the moment your hands reach for it… you’re on your own.”

Karim and Luca immediately caught the weight in his voice. This wasn’t just a warning—it was law.

“And remember,” the General added, his voice echoing slightly along the marble steps, “Your main focus is my daughter.”

As Karim and Luca followed closely behind Emily, the intricate stonework surrounding the staircase pulled their attention.

Lions, eagles, and various predatory beasts were carved into the marble columns—each one like a silent guardian watching all who entered.

As they neared the grand ballroom doors, the sounds from within grew louder. Music, chatter, laughter… It was obvious this was where the most powerful and elite of the city had gathered.

But just before they could step inside, the guards at the entrance moved in front of them.

“Please stop, gentlemen.”

One of the guards, broad-shouldered and sharp-eyed, gave the General a respectful salute— but blocked Karim and Luca with a firm glance, not allowing them to proceed.

Emily and the General gave the two a brief look— and then disappeared into the crowd beyond the doors.

“Good evening, gentlemen,” the guard said in a tone that was friendly yet formal. “I assume you’re General Jonathan’s escorts.”

Karim scanned the guard’s eyes for a moment, then reached out for a handshake. “Yes. Karim Livon.”

The guard shook his hand firmly. Luca followed and introduced himself as well.

But then the guard’s voice dropped just slightly, and he stepped in a bit closer: “By order of the King, no weapons are allowed inside, gentlemen.”

A brief silence followed.

“You know how it is… with the war still going, you never know what people might do,” he added, his voice dropping to an almost-whisper.

Karim hesitated. Being unarmed would be a huge disadvantage if anything went wrong… but breaking the rules could lead to something far worse.

Eventually, he silently drew his sword from its sheath and laid it down on the empty table behind the guard.

Luca was about to do the same when Karim suddenly grabbed his arm.

“Keep the sheath,” he said quietly. “Worst case, we bluff.”

Luca heard the suggestion and gave a small, amused grin.