Irina Phoenix.
She was the heir to one of the most famous and influential mage families in a Valerian Federation administrative region.
Arcadia Territory, the most revered place for magic, and one of the most prominent regions.
It is where every major magic tower is located, and these towers are ruled by a family.
The Phoenix family is one of them, ruling the Red Magic Tower, focusing on fire magic.
The family's origins can be traced back to before the "Nexus Fusion," when magic did not yet exist.
It is said that their ancestors came from another world, like other races. Based on this background, people often use this speculation to measure the strength of the four major magic families.
As a member of such a family, Irina's life was destined to be closely linked to magic and the pursuit of perfection. From a young age, she didn't have many friends, and she had very little time to play with them.
Her life was filled with learning magic, high society etiquette, the art of governance, and knowledge of how to stand at the top of society.
Initially, she enjoyed feeling different. She loved the constant stream of compliments, and the approval of her strict parents, especially her mother.
Everything changed until that one time when he revealed the truth behind those smiles to Irina. From then on, all those lessons and education no longer made her feel superior, but suffocated her.
She felt like a bird trapped in a cage.
Therefore, she transformed from an obedient girl into a passionate young woman.
Now, standing in front of that same stern woman, those memories flooded back to her.
"You've arrived," her mother said, not even looking up, continuing to study the documents.
Whoosh!
She waved her hand, and a warm breeze swept through, the maid disappearing from the room, leaving only the mother and daughter.
"Irina, the preparations for the ball are underway. I trust you have been overseeing the arrangements as I instructed?" her mother's voice was steady and authoritative.
As always, the tone, the attitude, even the proud look, everything remained unchanged.
Irina leaned back in her chair, with an indifferent expression on her face. "Yes, Mother. Everything is proceeding according to plan. The decorators are working tirelessly, and the invitations have been sent to the esteemed guests. You will host a grand ball, as usual."
Her mother finally looked up, her scrutinizing gaze fixed on Irina. "This indifferent attitude of yours is not befitting of an heir. The ball is not merely a social event; it is also a symbol of our family's status. You need to realize the weight of these responsibilities."
"..."
Under her mother's heavy gaze, Irina did not retort, knowing it would be futile. The memories of the past, and how her mother had cast her aside from her own life, those past events were still vivid in her mind.
"I understand."
She finally lowered her head, left with no choice. However, her mother did not seem inclined to stop there.
"Speaking of heirs, let's discuss your progress at the academy," her mother continued, smoothly transitioning to the next topic.
"Why is your ranking still behind hers?" her mother asked, her tone suddenly intense, sending a chill down Irina's spine. At that moment, the atmosphere in the room seemed to change, the air becoming hot, as if responding to her mother's rising emotions.
Irina hesitated, feeling suffocated by her mother's expectations. "Mother, as I've said, I've been focusing on a well-rounded education. I believe..."
Before she could finish, her mother's eyes flashed with a fiery light, and the air in the room seemed charged with energy. "Enough, Irina," her mother interrupted, her voice filled with an almost bestial authority.
"I don't care what you're focusing on. Relationships or otherwise, none of it matters."
The pressure in the room grew heavier, making it almost difficult for Irina to breathe. Her mother's anger surrounded her. Irina felt sweat beginning to bead on her forehead, and she struggled to remain calm.
"You are the heir of the Phoenix family, and your performance should reflect that. Look at Seraphina, those cold-blooded heirs. She surpassed you in the entrance rankings, and I felt deeply ashamed at the last gathering. Do you know how embarrassing it is for the head of the family to see our heir ranked lower than her?" her mother continued, each word laced with heavy disappointment.
'It's her again.'
Irina clenched her fists, anger rising in her heart.
Being compared to Seraphina, the heir of a rival family, greatly undermined Irina's self-esteem. The heated air in the room seemed to become even more oppressive, reflecting the burning gaze of her mother's scrutiny.
"I will not accept any excuses next time, Irina. I have given you all the resources and opportunities, and it is now time to make the most of them. I will not tolerate our family's reputation being tarnished by your incompetence," her mother said coldly, her tone almost making the air crackle with tension.
Irina bit her lip, forcing herself to control the frustration and anger within.
Her mother's expectations were like a heavy chain, binding her tightly. The ornately decorated room felt like a cage, the pressure in the air almost unbearable.
'You will never understand.'
But in the end, she said nothing. Her mother was, as always, someone she could never open her heart to.
"Don't talk to me."
At that moment, for some reason, she remembered that annoying guy who she couldn't linguistically beat.
"Understood, Mother," Irina replied curtly, her voice a suppressed whisper.
"Good. You must ensure that you win, no matter what, understand?" her mother demanded, the intense look in her eyes not diminishing in the slightest.
"Understood," Irina replied, clenching her jaw.
"Good." As her mother returned to her documents, Irina slowly rose and made her way out of her mother's room.
Creak!
The door opened softly, and Irina walked out, signaling to the maid, who immediately stepped forward. "Miss, do you need anything?"
She needed to do something to clear her head, to shake off the lingering emotions, especially that deep resentment.
"Prepare the Flame Chamber," she ordered the maid, preparing for a most dangerous challenge.
"Now?" The maid's reaction was as cautious as expected, as the Flame Chamber was a highly dangerous place even for someone like her, who had great control over the fire element.
"Yes, immediately," Irina replied firmly, once she made a decision, there was no turning back.
"Yes, I will prepare it immediately."
After the maid left, Irina headed towards her own room, her mind filled with a jumble of thoughts.
'Seraphina.'
Her rival.
Arcadia Territory, this place focused on magic, brought together many well-established families.
Although each family specialized in a specific elemental branch of magic and belonged to the same nation, they were, in reality, rivals.
This rivalry had been particularly intense for decades, especially for those families who focused on opposing elements.
Pillar of Flames, the Phoenix family.
Pillar of Ice, the Winslet family.
These two families had been in a long-standing rivalry almost since the day of the "Nexus Fusion," or even earlier.
The girl her mother had just mentioned was the heir to the Winslet family.
'Tsk.'
Irina clicked her tongue softly, recalling her past encounters with that girl, especially their duel in the magic competition, where she had lost to her.
This was also the case this time.
"How annoying."
Just because she was behind her, Irina was ranked third in the entrance exam, which filled her with anger.
Her thoughts gradually returned to the academy, contemplating her exams and semester results.
'That guy.'
Naturally, she thought of that annoying guy. The guy who made her feel uncomfortable just thinking about him.
'Is it because of him? No, it's not.'
She wasn't so childish as to blame him for the mistakes she made during the dungeon exploration.
She might have been a bit immature and irritable at the time, but that was only because she was annoyed by his attitude. Now that he wasn't around, she could clearly see her childish behavior back then.
"Sigh..."
She knew she might be shirking responsibility, but she couldn't accept failure either. The conflict between her mother's expectations and her own inner desires made her sigh involuntarily.
Ding!
Just as she was lost in thought, suddenly, her watch chimed with a notification.
"Hmm?"
She had intended to ignore the messages, thinking it might just be a group notification, but decided to check it anyway.
[Dog 2: Miss, the investigation results you requested are in.]
'Which investigation?'
She pondered for a moment, trying to recall which request it was.
[Dog 2: We have identified the source of the rumors about Morse Scott.]
"Ah..."
She remembered requesting this after the practical exam and nodded.
"Right, I did request that."
[Why did it take so long?]
This investigation should have been a simple task, so why did it take so long?
[Dog 2: I sincerely apologize for the delay, Miss. The nature of the investigation was far more complex than we initially anticipated. We underestimated it at first, assuming it was just a simple rumor, but it turned out to lead us to a tangled web of deceit.]
[Hmm, continue.]
[Dog 2: Someone with considerable influence has been actively spreading false information about Morse Scott. Not only that, but they have also managed to manipulate certain staff members within the academy to turn a blind eye to this behavior.]
Irina's eyes narrowed upon seeing this, the situation was far more serious than she had anticipated.
Normally, she wouldn't be interested in these things, but because she owed that guy a life, she had to pay attention. She didn't like owing anyone anything either.
[Who is the mastermind? Do you know his name?]
[Dog 2: Yes. The mastermind is Trevor Phillips, the heir to the Phillips family.]
