Three days. That’s how long Alex had been out cold, barely even breathing.Sofie and Cassandra took turns babysitting him like some oversized infant, refusing to let anyone else tend to his sorry self.Meanwhile, the King’s Mansion was a construction zone on steroids—workers hammering day and night, erecting the grand defenses of the Thousand Beast Illusions.If they’d built the damn thing sooner, maybe the Outlaw wouldn’t have waltzed in like he owned the place.In the Main Affairs Hall, Arthur—His Royal Piousness—was neck-deep in paperwork, dealing with the aftermath of the last big brawl.Dead guards? Check.Destroyed property? Check.Gut-wrenching pensions? Check.He also kept sneaking off to see Alex, never letting Sofie or Cassandra catch wind. God forbid the King look even remotely sentimental.A flustered guard rushed in like his pants were on fire. “Your Majesty, Young Master Camelot is here to see you!”Arthur’s ever-present scowl vanished. “Oh? Camelot’s back?” He practical

Talk about lighting a match.The younger crowd started whispering, eyeballing Alex from head to toe.Some pointed out he was underdressed, looking more like a ragged farmhand than a star of Miracle City.But a whole lot of them were more interested in the two stunning girls on his arms—Cassandra and Sofie, both so dazzling they made half the room sink into self-loathing.Scarlet Hunt, meanwhile, puffed her chest and clung to her own brand of haughty pride, refusing to look second-best.Still, her cheeks turned an interesting shade of pink when her gaze landed on Alex’s face.Most of the men in the room were seeing green: Alex strolling in with two of the city’s favorite beauties, plus rumors that the Hunt heiress was also staking her claim on him.They looked ready to smash their heads against the nearest wall. Is this what it means to be a genius? How had they wasted all that time not training?Scarlet walked right up to him, her dress swishing regally. “Alex,” she said, voice trembl

And Alex had aimed his entire performance at warning Camelot off.The truth was, if Miracle City wanted to break its ceilings, they needed Alex.Camelot might be a prodigy, but the city could survive without him.Without Alex, however? That was a gamble Arthur wasn’t willing to take.Camelot said nothing, but you could practically see the shadows swirling in his eyes.He’d believed from the get-go that Arthur was grooming him for the throne.Without that lofty goal, he’d be just a glorified foster kid, overshadowed by Sofie and hounded by the city’s paranoid elders.With Alex in the picture, he felt the noose tightening.Scarlet Hunt, on the other hand, beamed like a kid in a candy store.Alex’s brand of troublemaking was next-level.He bulldozed through Richard in front of the King and half the city’s VIPs—then strutted around like he owned the place.She’d prided herself on being a wild child, but Alex was playing in an entirely different league.She kind of loved it.Richard and hi

Alex loitered in Sofie’s overgrown yard at the King’s Mansion, pumping his Mana force into the night air like he owned the place.Moonlight flickered across his face while Sofie and Cassandra snored away inside, oblivious to his midnight hustle.The more he trained, the more his Mana felt like it was bonding with the stars themselves, feeding his soul with a slow, powerful burn.After a while, he felt a rush of energy flood through him, and he exhaled, eyes cutting to a rustling bush off to one side.“Father-in-law,” Alex said flatly. “You’ve been spying on me this whole time. Please just step out.”Sure enough, from behind the leaves crept Arthur—mighty, arrogant Arthur, so-called Black Gold rank Magician.He looked downright insulted that someone like Alex, some five-star Silver upstart, had sniffed him out.“So it’s true,” Arthur said, voice tight. “You can actually sense my aura.”Alex raised one brow and scoffed like he’d just smelled something rotten. “You think hiding from me w

They were about to head out when someone let out a startled shout.“Cassandra’s here!”All the guys in class went rigid.Their eyes locked on the slender girl who just stepped inside. She wore a tight training outfit that revealed every graceful curve.There was a cool aura around her, distant and untouchable, and it made every heartbeat pound twice as hard.Cassandra. She was the dream of nearly everyone in the school.Even back when she was only a junior, people in the Elite class whispered her name, counting down the days until she joined them.Now, their wish was granted—and yet that icy expression kept them all at arm’s length.She was like a goddess on a high throne, too pure for mortal hands.No one dared approach her. No one found the courage to speak.They only watched in silent awe while an ache of longing throbbed in their chests.Then Cassandra’s gaze swept over the crowd and landed on Alex. The moment she spotted him, her frosty demeanor softened.She glided straight to h