The Breaking Point

"The Sundering War," the professor continued with a somber tone, her voice resonating throughout the room. "A calamity that took place nearly a decade ago, seizing the lives of our soldiers, our people. May their hearts rest in peace. The Xian Empire, led by a ruthless emperor, began its aggressive expansion. Their aim was to conquer neighboring territories and unlock the secrets of the Celestial Archives—a trove of arcane knowledge guarded by a centuries-old pact between several nations, including Arcanis and Aerothis."

Her hand swept over the projection of a

map, pointing out the borders with deliberate precision.

"The Xian Empire's push for dominance, coupled with its desire to control the Archives, shattered the ancient peace that had been carefully maintained between Arcanis, Aerothis, and Xian. For generations, these nations had kept to a fragile truce, with Arcanis focusing on military strength and Aerothis maintaining its vast magical knowledge. When the Xian Empire's Emperor declared his intent to seize the Archives by force, Arcanis and Aerothis saw it as an existential threat and forged a reluctant alliance to prevent Xian from gaining the upper hand—"

"Miss," a voice cut through her words, sharp and unexpected. "Cut the bullshit. How are you so blatantly lying? Aren't you embarrassed?"

The room froze as the voice echoed off the walls. Eyes turned toward the source: a girl sitting near the back, her posture confident, her gaze cutting. Her sleek, maroon hair cascaded down her shoulders, contrasting sharply with her monolid eyes framed with bold, winged eyeliner.

Dark red lipstick accentuated her sharp features, giving her an almost otherworldly presence compared to the other students. She was dressed in a way that made her stand out—less pristine than the others, but no less intimidating. There was a noticeable defiance in her demeanor.

The professor's eyes narrowed, and for a moment, an icy silence hung between them. The rest of the class sat, stunned into stillness, as the girl's words lingered in the air.

The professor composed herself, her lips tight but still maintaining an air of authority. "Excuse me?"

The girl's lips curled into a slight smirk, a challenge dancing in her gaze. "I'm just saying," she continued with a nonchalant shrug, "the Xian Empire wasn't some mindless aggressor. You know as well as I do that this 'peace' you're talking about was nothing but a fragile illusion. They weren't looking to conquer for the hell of it, and you know that."

" Watch your mouth young lady !"

" I can say what I want," the girl retorted, her tone cool but biting. "This is politics, isn't it? It's just people like you pretending as if Arcanis is some peaceful, virtuous nation, when it's anything but. Invading other countries, killing innocent civilians—men, women, children—and then spinning it like, 'Oh, they were planning on overthrowing us,' or 'They had weapons of destruction,'" she mimicked mockingly, her lips curling.

The words hung in the air like a challenge, the sharpness of her voice drawing every eye in the room. Professor Coraline's face flushed pink with rage, her jaw tightening in an almost imperceptible tremor of fury.

She took a breath, her voice cold and controlled, but the tremor of anger was unmistakable. "Watch your tone, miss. This is a classroom, not a forum for rebellion."

The girl's eyes gleamed with defiance as she leaned back in her chair, the fire in her gaze unwavering. "I'm just speaking the truth. Maybe you're the one who needs to take a seat and listen for once."

Professor Coraline's nostrils flared as she seethed, clearly trying to keep her composure. "Feng Ruihan, from this day onwards, you are further prohibited from joining in any classes of mine until the end of the year."

The words were spoken with finality, and the room seemed to hold its breath as the students exchanged anxious glances. Feng stood up slowly, a satisfied smirk tugging at the corner of her lips. She expertly tied her maroon hair into a sleek bun, her movements smooth and deliberate.

She turned to the professor, her expression one of pure mischief. "Thanks, professor. Now I have a reason not to attend anymore."

With a wink, she grabbed her bag and headed for the door, leaving a stunned silence in her wake.

Asli whistled, snickering to himself as the teacher's eyes snapped to him, realizing what had just unfolded. She glared, her lips pressing into a thin line. "What, you want to go out too?"

"Well, since you're offering…" Asli trailed off, his voice dripping with nonchalance. "I don't mind."

"Get out of my class," Professor Coraline snapped, her patience fraying at the edges.

"With pleasure, ma'am." Asli stood up, stretching lazily as he grabbed his earphones.

The students watched in mild curiosity, their gazes flicking between Asli and the professor. Without a hint of hesitation, he made his way to the door.

As Asli made his exit, Silas stood up, his expression a mixture of amusement and indifference. "Excuse me, miss, I'll take my pardon too."

Professor Coraline's gaze swept over the room, her voice laced with venom. "Anyone else want to leave?"

The silence that followed was thick with tension. No one dared to speak, frozen in their seats under her piercing stare.

With a sharp exhale, she turned back to the board, her fingers tapping against the stick in her hand.