Chapter 15 Extra: The Fall

First Life. One year before the execution.

Leticia walked down the Academy corridor, heading to the lecture hall, but every step echoed with the whispers of those around her.

— Bastard.

— Look at who they let in here.

— What a disgrace to the aristocracy.

Leticia clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms. She pretended not to hear them, but with each step, the words grew louder, as if spoken just for her.

When she entered the classroom, several students laughed, making no effort to hide their disdain.

— Oh, so now even bastards are allowed to study with us? — one of the students sneered, a tall young man with blond hair.

Leticia turned sharply, her red eyes blazing with anger.

— Did you say something? — she asked coldly.

— Yes, — he continued with a smirk. — I’m just amazed at how low the Academy has fallen, allowing someone like you to be here.

Laughter echoed through the room. Her heart pounded. She couldn’t just stay silent.

— I have just as much right to be here as you do! — Leticia snapped. — Or do you think knowledge belongs only to those with the “right” bloodline?

— Knowledge belongs to the worthy, — he said mockingly. — But you… you’re nothing more than a stain on your family’s reputation.

Before Leticia could respond, the room fell silent. The students who had been so talkative moments ago suddenly hushed. Some glanced around nervously, while others stared toward the entrance.

Leticia turned toward the doorway.

Standing there was the Crown Prince.
Leonardo De Walshart, Crown Prince of the Walshart Empire.

Tall, with light-colored hair, he radiated unwavering confidence. He wore a mask and gloves to conceal the burns he had received in battle against a dark mage, but even with those, his commanding posture and regal demeanor made it clear he was a man accustomed to power. Straightforward, just, and ambitious, he was known for his sharp mind and unyielding will. Kind to his allies, yet ruthless to those he deemed a threat to the Empire.

Right now, his gaze was fixed on Leticia.

— What is happening here? — his voice was calm, yet there was an unmistakable sharpness to it.

The students quickly averted their eyes, but someone smirked.

— We were simply discussing whether the Academy is truly a place for bastards, — the same blond student said, clearly feeling emboldened by the prince’s presence.

Leticia expected the Crown Prince to reprimand them. Expected him to put the students in their place.

But he didn’t.

— I believe they have the right to question it, — the prince said calmly, turning to Leticia.

Her breath caught.

— What..? — her voice came out quieter than she expected.

— The shadow magic you wield, — he continued. — Its history is stained with blood and betrayal. For centuries, it has been used by those who scheme in the dark, those who kill from the shadows, those who conceal their true nature. Your status and your power only reinforce that. How can you demand respect when you wield the very magic noble families have fought to protect themselves against for generations?

Leticia felt his words strike harder than all the students’ taunts combined. She searched for a response but could do nothing but grit her teeth.

The prince’s gaze remained steady, cold, and resolute. He had already made his judgment.

— Be mindful of your actions, Leticia Murray, — he said before turning and leaving the room.

The whispers in the classroom grew louder, but Leticia could no longer hear them. A storm of injustice, anger, and helplessness swelled within her chest.

She took a step back. Then another. Without another word, she left the room, leaving behind those who had already decided she would never be their equal.