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Chapter 38: A Mastermind With Silver Hair

The two faced each other in the corridor of all dangers. Dora, suspicious, took a look at the surroundings.

"Don\'t worry, there\'s no one else here, it\'s only us."

"Oh, really? What happened to your vanguard?"

He asked, never looking directly at the girl but only scrutinizing the surroundings, expecting to get jumped on, much to the amusement of Freya.

"They had other businesses, speaking of which, have you found the toad you were looking for?"

"... Maybe? Why the interrogation thought? Is there a problem? Is this because I joked a little with the prince?"

"I\'m telling you not to worry, I\'m here on my own terms, for myself." She knows with a serious tone, "You\'ve picked my interest, so I would like to confirm a few things about you."

Her voice and facial expression didn\'t show any malice, she wasn\'t just a beautiful girl, her grace, tone, and antic were of the level of a sovereign. Maybe because his senses were getting sharper, Dora understood that it was better to behave for now.

"What things?"

"First, is it true that you are the rival of the Balders\'son? I don\'t know a lot about you but, I heard that he was an E-rank, and we both know that you are far stronger than that, am I correct?"

They looked into each other\'s eyes intensely, Freya was winning two fights simultaneously, one verbally and the other with her gaze which seemed to read her opponent\'s mind.

A smile grew on Dora\'s face.

"So you\'re asking me what is my rank? I really wonder what\'s your goal here. Well, sorry to disappoint you, but I am an E-rank, on paper, and unless someone can prove it wrong, I remain an E-rank."

"So you\'ve decided to play dumb, huh? Good, it only confirms my suspicions, the stronger one person is, the more secretive they become about their power."

"So... Do you have anything else? Because I kinda have a meeting, with my toad."

She stared at him silently, in a few seconds that seemed like an eternity, and crossed her arms.

"First you\'re ignoring me, then you refuse to give me a proper answer and now you\'re trying to leave? You had my attention before, but now you\'re becoming a perfect weapon. Just answer this last question: Would you like to be my knight?"

Freya\'s words hit Dora like a lightning bolt, sending shivers down his spine.

"What?" He could only exclaim.

"You heard right, I want you to serve me and become my knight, you are the most suited person among those that I\'ve heard about."

Faced with the young man\'s confusion, she put a hand on her chest and explained her machination.

"As the daughter of the Duke of Midas, I\'ve been courted for a long time by many students both from the Knights and Saint Nova. Of course, I\'ve always taken care of getting rid of these annoyances, I am an emissary myself and I wish to keep my freedom." She turned her gaze toward the reception door. "But it is impossible to graduate without following the academy rules, so I find myself forced to choose someone among the pathetic people who can\'t control their saliva when they talk about me, those who are looking for nonexistent fame, or those who think they know better than me what I need."

"Like the prince?"

She nodded her head, smiling. The situation of the young lady was becoming more comprehensive, blessed with a famous family and an unmatchable beauty, she had been sainted and had been the pride of the duke and probably a negotiating tool.

She was a talented emissary but wasn\'t allowed to fight, she wished to keep her freedom, but she had to take one of the people, the people she used to see ogling her body, as her knight.

"This is why you are perfect, you don\'t seem to know me, you didn\'t recognize the prince earlier, so I can deduce that you are not after the status of a high-ranked noble, you are not either influenced by my physical appearance or my name and to top it off, the pressure you released earlier is a testimony of your power. You are the most suitable for me."

She held out her hand to the young man.

"Become my knight, I may not know you, but I see many similarities between us, I can say that you are seeking freedom, like me, if it wasn\'t obligatory, you would never have been there in the first place, and you need someone who could understand your power, as for me, I want a knight that I could trust, someone that I know would rather give up on his life than lose his freedom, someone wise enough to understand that fighting the prince could have terrible consequences, yet so proud that he wouldn\'t let him hit him. This is what I wish and you represent all of that."

Dora was taken aback by this unexpected proposal, in an instant this girl had seen through him better than anyone else he had known.

Many thoughts could have been running through his brain, but his concern was only the realization. Since his debut at the academy, he drastically stopped hiding his ability.

Little by little at first, he only fought those who messed with him, but after his confrontation with Hope, he knew that more people were aware of his subterfuge.

But the problem was that it took them to see him fight and probably learn about his past, from Hope, yet Freya pointed his antic perfectly without knowing him.

"So? Do you accept? What is there to consider?"

"... You sure know a lot, you got that only from my altercation with Hope?"

"You shouldn\'t underestimate me, anyone can be wise when they decide to use their ears instead of their mouth. So, what\'s your answer? I\'ve waited long enough."

"It doesn\'t sound right, you say that you want a knight, but you want him to be free? What do you mean exactly? What\'s the point of having my power if I\'m allowed to disobey you and run away?"

"This is what separates people who only talk to those who know how to guide people. I know what you want and what you would hate, so I know how I can deal with you. Now we\'ve wasted enough time, for the last time, become my knight and I\'ll make sure that not only your secret will never be revealed, but also you\'ll have all the freedom you\'re wishing for."

She held out her hand again, showing extraordinary confidence.

This person was no ordinary individual; she never lied. However, her ability to see everything made her a dangerous adversary.

Dora lowered his gaze one moment, looking at the delicate hand outstretched towards him.

"It is... A very interesting offer, but... I think I\'ll have to refuse."

"... Hm? Is that so?" She lowered her hand, her face unchanged, "And why is that?"

"I just happen to have already offered my services to another person, so I\'m really sorry but I would like to keep my word."

She smiled lecherously at him.

"Really? The toad, is it? But then why don\'t you wear their crest?"

"She didn\'t have one when we\'ve met, but I\'ll take it later. So I really can\'t become your knight."

"Her?... I see now, a "toad" huh? Interesting..."

The girl seemed to master the art of frightening Dora\'s senses, she looked like the kind of girl who always got what she wanted, and never once did she frail even though her offer was rejected.

Everything pointed out that she was planning something so Dora quickly understood that he\'d have to stay on his guard.

"So... If we\'re finished here, I\'m going to the reception room, sorry to not fulfill your wish."

"Wait, one last thing, what is your name?"

"Huh?"

"We haven\'t been properly introduced yet, I am Freya Astaroth, and I allow you to refer to me as Freya only, now who are you?"

Just as Dora was about to answer, a desperate voice sounded in his mind.

"Don\'t say it!!! If she knows your name she will use her power of veto!"

"What?"

"Listen, students from this academy are literally the representatives of the nobility while you are the chivalry. They possess something called the veto which is a symbol of the hierarchy power, and so they can, by the law, force the Knights to do what they want once, objecting would be like disobeying the balance of royalty! If she uses her veto to make you her knight, you won\'t have any right to refuse!"

Dora froze for a second, his jaw falling down. This girl was really dangerous.

"What are you waiting for? What is your name?"

"Um... I\'m just... I don\'t think I deserve to... Huh... I am just a knight, after all, a knight shouldn\'t..."

"I didn\'t ask you to stutter, what is your name?"

Beads of sweat were beading on his forehead, he was thinking of any way to escape from this situation without irritating the girl.

She was the daughter of a duke, she had the second authority of this academy and she knew his secrets, he was literally at her mercy.

It was then that he found the boldest excuse possible.

"Barron... Cid Barron."