The news of Bai Sha's decisive victory over Gis Grez spread like wildfire through the training camp.
The next day, Bai Sha was confronted by a grim-faced Kaisin Grez.
The boy's sharp, striking features still carried their usual boldness, but a faint trace of weariness lingered in his expression.
He found Bai Sha in the dining hall, where she was eating with Cen Yuehuai and Ji Ya. Naturally, Bai Sha had invited Ji Ya because she was still scheming to get closer to her mental entity—a plan to start as dining buddies and slowly work her way up.
Unfortunately, this plan hit a snag on its very first day.
The snag was Kaisin Grez.
"Bai… Bai Sha, I need to talk to you," Kaisin Grez said, his tone lacking hostility but far from friendly. He seemed more like someone forced to deal with an annoying problem. "About what happened yesterday."
Yesterday? That would be the Gis Grez incident, right?
Bai Sha wasn't particularly upset, as she'd already settled the score in her own way. Since Kaisin Grez had come to her in person, she didn't mind hearing what he had to say.
But did it have to be during mealtime? Did he have to interrupt her bonding time with Ji Ya?
Bai Sha: "Can we talk later? Or just message me on the holo-brain. You have my contact, don't you?"
Kaisin faltered, then gritted his teeth. "I. Don't. Have. It."
"Don't have it, fine. No need to snap," Ji Ya, who'd never liked Kaisin Grez, shot back, her eyes narrowing as she tossed her fork down. "Everyone knows our families don't get along—it's an open secret. But yesterday, it was your Grez family who provoked first. What, now you're here to settle the score with Her Highness?"
Kaisin Grez: "When did I say I was here to settle anything?!"
Ji Ya sneered. "If not to settle a score, then to apologize? But you can't even muster a 'Your Highness'—where's the sincerity in that? At least that Gis Grez had the decency to admit defeat and address her properly."
The gathering of Ji Ya, Kaisin Grez, and Bai Sha, now seemingly on the verge of an argument, was practically headline-worthy for the students.
As passing diners cast discreet glances their way, Kaisin forcibly suppressed his anger and said coldly, "I'm not here to argue in a place like this."
Ji Ya fired back, "And I've got no interest in wasting my time on you."
Cen Yuehuai couldn't help but let out a laugh. "Why don't you two just take it to the dueling arena?"
Ji Ya and Kaisin both turned to her with blank, unamused stares.
Cen Yuehuai hugged her tray and shrank back. "Kidding, kidding! I'll stay out of it, carry on."
"No, I actually think you're onto something," Ji Ya said, her eyes gleaming thoughtfully as she looked at Kaisin Grez. "The main team selection challenge is in a few days. We're bound to clash anyway. I'll be waiting."
With that, Ji Ya tidied her table, stood, and turned to Bai Sha. "Your Highness, I'm heading out. It was great dining with you all. Let's meet up again soon."
Bai Sha: "…See you."
But Ji Ya, as a freshman leader at Nanmi Military Academy, had a packed schedule and wasn't easy to pin down.
Bai Sha turned back, giving Kaisin an unreadable look that made his eyelid twitch involuntarily.
What had he done wrong? Why was she staring at him like that—
"Sit. Just say it. What do you want?" Bai Sha sighed, opening her holo-brain and letting Kaisin scan her ID. "Add me as a contact. Unless it's urgent, you can message me next time."
Kaisin Grez hesitated briefly before adding her as a contact.
"I'm here today because of yesterday," he said, clearing his throat. "I need to make it clear: while the Grez family generally holds no goodwill toward the royal family, that foolish provocation yesterday was neither my doing nor sanctioned by the family."
The joint military exercise training camp was a matter of imperial prestige—a significant event. As an instructor, Gis Grez should have kept personal and professional matters separate. Instead, he let personal grudges taint his teaching and made a grave miscalculation. He assumed Bai Sha was some obscure royal with no real backing, her prodigy status merely a product of royal resources and flattery. He thought he'd picked a soft target, only to crash headfirst into a steel wall, humiliating himself spectacularly.
And it wasn't just him—the entire Grez family was dragged through the mud!
When Kaisin Grez heard the news, he nearly blacked out. He had no choice but to come to Bai Sha to clarify that the Grez family wasn't a pack of rabid dogs biting at random.
Bai Sha listened to his explanation and nodded. "Alright, I believe you. And then?"
Given Kaisin's pride, it was unlikely he'd stoop to some elaborate ruse just to trick her.
Kaisin let out a breath.
Though Bai Sha's reaction was calmer than he'd expected, it aligned with his impression of her.
This also confirmed he'd made the right call.
"There's one more thing—about repaying a debt," Kaisin Grez said, clearing his throat again. "I've agreed to Xino Us's request."
Bai Sha blinked, puzzled. "What request?"
"The grade-skip challenge," Kaisin Grez said, his expression sour. "I'm giving up my claim to a first-year slot. I'll apply to the academy for a grade-skip challenge and compete with the second-year team."
"…Didn't you all want Tianquan Academy to claim all the pilot slots, hoping to clear me out as an obstacle? Well, I've agreed. The rest is up to you."
Bai Sha and Cen Yuehuai exchanged a glance.
Back then, Xino had ambitiously declared that their Tianquan Academy quartet would sweep all the slots. It was a casual remark, and none of them had taken it too seriously.
After rescuing the Xizhou Academy Fa students, Kaisin Grez had said he owed them a favor. Xino suggested Kaisin take the grade-skip challenge to free up a first-year slot for Tianquan Academy, but Kaisin had refused at the time.
Who would've thought he'd actually agree now?
Was this really because of Gis Grez's blunder? Talk about an unexpected bonus.
"If you're serious, then it's settled," Bai Sha said, raising an eyebrow. "Consider the favor repaid."
"Don't get too cocky," Kaisin sneered. "Even with me out, you've still got Nanmi and Dongluo Academies to deal with. Breaking through won't be easy."
"No need for your concern. Win or lose, we'll give it our all," Bai Sha said cheerfully, approving Kaisin Grez's contact request. She then added a note to his name:
"Simple Doggo."