Alaric finished the rest of his classes without incident, making it through the day without any further dangerous slip-ups. After a quiet meal in the cafeteria, he began heading back to his dorm. He was looking forward to a quiet evening, but his plans were interrupted when a familiar figure blocked his path.
Pink hair gleamed in the fading light, and Alaric grimaced inwardly. What does she want now? I haven't done anything today to draw her attention, he thought, his mood souring as he looked down at the shorter girl standing firmly in his way.
He forced himself to speak, his voice stiff and awkward. "…Princess. What can I do for you?" Formality wasn't his strong suit—he hated it, in fact. At home, he'd mostly spoken with servants, and they never demanded such careful phrasing. Still, addressing Princess Caitlyn required some degree of etiquette, no matter how much he disliked it.
The princess tilted her head, her piercing gaze locking onto his. "Alaric Draymont," she began, her tone deliberate. "You're not at all like the rumors suggest. I've intentionally provoked you, had students bump into you, and even set up perfect scenarios where anyone else might have lashed out or acted like a delinquent. But you didn't. You definitely look intimidating, I'll give you that, but I can't help but wonder…"
Her lips curved slightly as she leaned in just enough to make him uncomfortable. "…How did these rumors start in the first place?"
Alaric's jaw tightened, his unease growing under her probing gaze. He said nothing, unsure of how to respond without inviting more scrutiny. Caitlyn, however, seemed in no rush, her sharp eyes waiting for a slip or some indication of the truth.
Alaric looked down at the shorter woman with mounting frustration. Why was she so interested in him? He didn't bother anyone, and he specifically went out of his way to avoid her. Yet here she was, prying into his life like it was her royal duty.
"Look, Princess," Alaric began, his tone strained as he tried to keep his composure. "I don't know why you have an issue with me, and I don't know how these rumors started. I just mind my own business. Maybe you should try doing the same. I'll stay out of your way, so can you please just leave me alone?" His voice trembled slightly toward the end, but he still managed to get his point across.
Before Caitlyn could respond, he added, "Now, if you don't mind, I've had a bad day, and I need to take a nap. If you're looking for entertainment, go bother my brother or sister. They're much more interesting than I'll ever be."
Without waiting for her reply, Alaric stepped past her and continued on his way. He didn't turn around, but he could feel her gaze lingering on him. When he glanced back at the dormitory doors, she was still standing there, her expression unreadable as she watched him disappear inside.
The princess walked away, her mind racing with thoughts as she settled on a nearby park bench, the cool breeze brushing against her face. She rested her chin on her hand, her piercing gaze lingering in the direction of the dormitories. Alaric Draymont. The name didn't match the boy she'd been observing. He was hiding something—he had to be.
His grades were just too perfect. Not excellent, not poor, but consistently average. Scarily so. The lowest score allowed in any class was a fifty, and the highest was a hundred. Yet Alaric had a seventy-five in nearly every subject, with only minor variations. The perfect midpoint. No one who could actually control their academic performance so meticulously would choose to stay in such a dull middle ground unless it was deliberate. Why?
And then there was his physique. She had observed enough knights-in-training to recognize an athlete when she saw one. Ignoring his considerable height, Alaric had a frame that screamed discipline and physical conditioning. His athletic uniform left little room to hide it—broad shoulders, defined arms, and barely any body fat. Anyone paying attention would notice, yet none of the students commented on it. Why didn't they see it?
Even the way he moved was suspicious. Caitlyn had first noticed it during a training session she'd watched from the gallery. Alaric was silent. Not just "quiet," but completely noiseless. Every step, every shift of his weight was unnervingly precise, as though he could melt into the shadows at any moment. That kind of awareness and control didn't come naturally. It had to be trained. And yet, this boy—the one branded a delinquent and a weakling—showed no sign of using his abilities to his advantage.
She couldn't let this go. There was a secret here, and Caitlyn hated secrets she wasn't privy to. Alaric Draymont wasn't what he seemed, and she intended to find out why. Whether he liked it or not.
The princess leaned back on the bench, her lips curving into a thoughtful smile. "Let's see how long you can keep up this act, Alaric," she murmured to herself, her resolve solidifying. For now, she would observe, poke, and prod—like a hunter sizing up her prey. He wouldn't stay hidden for long.
Caitlyn returned to her dorm and flopped onto her bed, staring at the ceiling. She wasn't sure why she cared so much about Alaric Draymont and his secrets. Sure, he was hiding something, but what did it matter? She had known the rumors were false the moment she heard them. The boy didn't even leave campus before he was banned from doing so. After classes, he went straight to his dorm, skipping dinner and rarely stepping out past curfew. If anything, he was excessively straight-laced.
Yes, he came off as rude sometimes, but Caitlyn doubted it was intentional. She could tell he wasn't good at talking to people—every interaction seemed awkward, like he was mentally stumbling over his words before he spoke.
Realistically, if anyone deserved this level of scrutiny, it was Cedric, Alaric's older brother. He clearly had an interest in her, though Caitlyn was sure it was more about raising his family's status than genuine feelings. But Cedric was painfully boring to be around. He embodied the typical noble attitude, coupling it with his undeniable academic success. Beneath the surface, though, there was no charm, no flair, no spark. Even his constant smugness felt more like a rehearsed act than a genuine personality trait. His world revolved around his family and his social standing.
And then there was Livia, the sister. She was another interesting case. Aloof most of the time, Livia seemed to be firmly in Cedric's camp, openly supporting him in his ambitions. But Caitlyn could see through that facade. Anyone paying attention could tell that Livia cared about Alaric. In fact, the siblings often clashed about it. Caitlyn had overheard their arguments more than once. Livia's concern for her younger brother was genuine, even if it was at odds with Cedric's relentless focus on their family's future.
It was odd, though. Why did Alaric, the one sibling who stayed quiet and out of everyone's way, feel like the most intriguing of the three? Caitlyn couldn't put her finger on it, but something about him didn't add up. And she wasn't one to let mysteries lie unsolved.
As she shifted on her bed, Caitlyn sighed, a small smile tugging at her lips. "You're an enigma, Alaric Draymont. Let's see how long you can keep your secrets."