The Hidden Heir At Valaris Academy

Chapter 10: Château Montclair 1978

Kael looked at the glass in his hand for a moment, then lifted his eyes calmly.

“It’s just Château Montclair 1978,” he said. “I don’t really think there’s anything to be impressed about.” He paused slightly, then added, almost as a question,

“It’s just a normal wine, like the others… right?”

“What?”

A sharp gasp rippled through the hall.

People froze. Normal wine? Nothing to be impressed about?

Even the attendant stiffened. A few of the judges exchanged quick looks, clearly shaken. Murmurs spread like wildfire through the audience.

Elara Voss straightened in her seat. She wasn’t someone who lived in luxury, because unlike the students, the teachers just needed only academic qualifications to become teachers, but even she knew what Château Montclair 1978 meant. A wine like that wasn’t something people called normal. Her eyes stayed fixed on Kael, disbelief clear on her face.

The attendant recovered first. “What do you mean by that, young man?” he asked carefully.

Kael looked toward the bottle on the tray. “Well,” he said simply, “it’s a wine I’ve had many times.”

More gasps.

“My grandfather has them delivered to him by Montclair Estate Cellars in Bordeaux,” Kael continued calmly. “He mostly uses them when there’s an event or a gathering.

He looked back at the attendant, his tone unchanged.

“So to me, it’s pretty normal, there’s nothing really big about it.”

The hall went completely silent.

Victor’s mouth was slightly open. Naomi’s confident expression faded. The other class stared, stunned.

One of the students from the other class stepped forward slightly and looked at Kael.

“Who is your grandfather?” he asked. Then he added quickly, “No—where are you even from?”

“Beryland,” Kael replied shortly.

“Beryland?”

The students from the other class looked at one another wondering which part of the earth that place was.

“Wait… isn’t Beryland a village?” someone said.

Almost immediately, laughter broke out. Some students in the hall laughed, others on the stage joined in. The sound spread quickly.

“This guy is an Ashlander,” one person said loudly, laughing. “And he dares to say Château Montclair 1978 is normal.”

Another student laughed and stepped in.

“So let me get this straight,” he said mockingly. “He said his grandfather uses that wine for events, so if there are, say, thirty people at an event, that means his grandfather spends about six hundred thousand to seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars just on wine alone?”

The laughter grew louder.

Another voice joined in, even sharper.

“Didn’t you hear him say the wines are provided by Montclair Estate Cellars?” the student said. “You all know what that place is, right?”

A few shook their heads.

“That’s the official wine-producing estate for Château Montclair 1978,” he continued. “Even my family, rich as we are, couldn't build a personal relationship with them because we weren’t rich enough for their liking.”

He pointed lightly at Kael and laughed.

“But this villager here is saying they provide his family with wine,” he said. “Haha. So what,his grandfather is insanely rich but still stays in a village?”

He shook his head dramatically.

“Why doesn’t he just say his grandfather owns a gold mine too?” he added. “At least that would sound believable to match how rich he's trying to paint him.”

That line sent the hall into even louder laughter.

On the stage, the members of Level 1–A felt it sharply, some clenched their fists while the others looked away, embarrassed and annoyed.

Ariana who was seated was just staring at Kael quietly. The judges exchanged glances before one of them sighed and shook his head. An assistant did the same.

To them, it looked like Kael was bragging, and badly at that. They believed he had gone too far, but what none of them realized was that,

Kael wasn’t bragging, he was simply speaking from what he knew. In Beryland, those things were normal to him. He didn’t know how rich his grandfather truly was when he was in the village, nor did he know how impossible his words sounded to the people in this hall.

He only knew what he had grown up with.  Elara sat quietly in her seat, her eyes fixed on Kael With a slight frown

“This is unbelievable…” she whispered to herself. She shook her head slowly, her voice barely audible.

“Why would he say something like that here?” she murmured. “This isn’t the place to brag, I made him join them so he could experience something fun.”

Her eyes moved briefly to the judges, then back to Kael.

“Château Montclair 1978… normal?” she whispered again, clearly disturbed. “Even people with real wealth wouldn’t speak so carelessly.”

She let out a small breath. “If he wanted attention,” she said softly to herself, “he didn’t have to go this far.”

Elara crossed her arms lightly, still watching him, to her, it looked like Kael had overdone it.

The attendant stepped forward, his voice calm but firm.

“Young man,” he said, looking directly at Kael, “are you aware that we are here to speak facts?”

The hall slowly quieted.

“This is a place to showcase what we truly know,” the attendant continued, “not a place to lie or brag about things you know nothing about.” He paused for a moment, letting his words sink in.

“You should also understand,” he added, “that lying here will cost you a lot. It affects your class, your standing, and how you are judged.”

All eyes were on Kael now. The laughter had faded, replaced by tension. Kael stood quietly, listening,he didn’t interrupt and he didn’t look offended neither.

“Well that wouldn't be needed, I didn't lie about anything I said.” He replied