Chapter : 52

  "We are stopping here for today," Princess Iris announced, her voice soft but very clear. "You all did an incredible job at the train yard. But Akij was right. The Doom Tower is a fortress, and Vane will be ready for us. If we storm that skyscraper tonight, we will be walking into a death trap completely exhausted. We need our strength. Go to your rooms, eat a good meal, and get a full night of sleep. Tomorrow morning, we end Vane's operation."

  Laxmi, the hot-headed fire user, wiped a smudge of dirt off her cheek. "I say we just go right now and burn his stupid tower to the ground. I have plenty of magic left."

  "No, you don't," Zinia replied, rolling her shoulders to stretch her tired muscles. "Your hands were shaking when we got into the transport car. The Princess is right. Earth magic takes a lot out of me, too. If we fight right now, we will make sloppy mistakes."

  Luna, the lightning user, let out a massive yawn. "I agree with the sleeping part. I could sleep for a whole week right now."

  Ken Eliot dragged his cheap, scuffed shoes across the pristine marble floor. He slouched forward, keeping his hands shoved deep into his pockets. His dark blue servant uniform was completely ruined. His shirt was untucked on both sides now, his tie was thrown over his shoulder, and he had a mysterious grease stain on his left sleeve.

  "I completely support the sleep pn," Ken chimed in, giving the Princess a zy, thumbs-up. "But more importantly, I support the food pn. My stomach is currently eating itself. Do you guys think the pace kitchen is still open? Because I need a burger. A really big burger with extra cheese. And fries. And maybe a milkshake."

  Naomi gred at him, her green eyes full of absolute annoyance. "Ken, we were almost killed by a dozen snipers today, and the only thing you can think about is a cheeseburger?"

  "Yes," Ken answered instantly, not even blinking. "Near-death experiences make me very hungry. It is a medical condition. You should be more sensitive to my needs, boss dy."

  "I am going to throw you out a window," Naomi muttered, rubbing her temples.

  Sayma pushed her thick gsses up the bridge of her nose and offered a polite, tired smile. "Let us just get back to the rooms first. I am sure we can order something from the kitchen once we are settled."

  The team started walking down the golden hallway again. Ken was busy daydreaming about his future cheeseburger when the sound of sharp, elegant footsteps echoed from the other end of the corridor.

  A new group of people was walking right toward them.

  Ken peeked out from behind Zinia’s broad shoulders. The group walking toward them looked absolutely nothing like the dusty, exhausted 13th Unit. They looked like they had just stepped out of a high-fashion magazine.

  At the center of the group was the 16th Princess, Hestia. She was wearing a stunning, flowing dress made of the finest white silk, decorated with expensive golden thread. Her hair was perfectly styled, and she walked with her chin held high, carrying an air of absolute superiority.

  Surrounding Princess Hestia was her own Royal unit. Just like Princess Iris, Hestia commanded a team of elite female warriors. But unlike Naomi, Sayma, and the others, Hestia’s team did not have a single speck of dirt on them. Their uniforms were bright, spotless, and perfectly ironed. They looked more like runway models than soldiers.

  "Oh, great," Naomi whispered under her breath, her hand resting on her dagger. "Look who it is. Miss Perfect."

  "Keep calm, Naomi," Sayma warned quietly. "Do not let her provoke you."

  Princess Hestia stopped right in the middle of the hallway, completely blocking the path of the 13th Unit. Her spotless team fanned out behind her, crossing their arms and looking at Iris’s team with cold, judging eyes.

  Hestia looked Princess Iris up and down. Her eyes paused on the dirt stains on Iris's cloak. A slow, mocking smirk spread across Hestia’s perfectly painted lips.

  "Well, well. If it isn't my dear sister, Iris," Hestia said. Her voice sounded sweet, but it was dripping with fake pity. "My goodness, look at the state of you. You look like you just crawled out of a mud pit in the outer districts. Tell me, did the poor little 13th Unit run into some trouble today?"

  Princess Iris kept her back straight. She did not let Hestia’s mocking tone bother her. She simply offered a polite, formal nod. "Good evening, Hestia. We had a busy day. The Emperor's missions are not meant to be easy."

  Hestia let out a soft, elegant ugh, covering her mouth lightly with her hand. "Oh, I suppose that depends on who is handling them. Tell me, did you manage to receive a twenty-point B-rank mission as well? Or did the Upper Council take pity on your tiny budget and give you something easier?"

  "We received a B-rank mission," Iris confirmed politely. "And we are currently in the middle of completing it."

  Hestia’s smirk grew even wider. She looked back at her own spotless team, then turned her mocking eyes back to Iris.

  "In the middle of it?" Hestia asked, pretending to be shocked. "You mean you haven't finished it yet? Oh, dear. That is so unfortunate. You see, my team and I received a B-rank mission this morning as well. We had to take down a rather nasty group of magical smugglers."

  Hestia took a step closer, making sure every single member of the 13th Unit could hear her clearly.

  "We finished it three hours ago," Hestia bragged loudly. "We secured our twenty points before lunchtime. And as you can see, my girls did not suffer a single scratch. We didn't even break a sweat. It is such a shame that you and your team are struggling so much. But then again, a Princess is only as good as the servants she hires."

  The words hit the 13th Unit like a physical punch.

  Laxmi’s hands immediately balled into fists, tiny sparks of fire popping around her knuckles. Naomi gritted her teeth so hard that Ken thought they might actually crack. The heavy realization that another team had easily completed the exact same level of mission while they were still covered in dirt was a massive blow to their pride.

  Ken, however, was not bothered at all. He was currently leaning his shoulder against the wall, staring at a very interesting piece of golden artwork hanging nearby.

  "Wow," Ken thought to himself casually. "She finished her mission before lunch? That is actually super impressive. If she finished early, she probably already ate dinner. I wonder what they had. Maybe they had steak. I should ask her where the dining hall is."

  Before Ken could open his mouth to ask the rival Princess about the pace menu, a girl from Hestia’s pristine team stepped forward. The golden hallway was about to get a lot more uncomfortable.

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  The girl who stepped out from behind Princess Hestia wore a spotless white uniform. Her posture was completely rigid, and her face was set in a deep, bitter scowl.