The Return of the Smirking Dragon King

“Saint Marika Academy. I’m back.”

Inside a low-key, luxurious black carriage, Ariel Bourgard lifted a corner of the curtain. Her gaze swept past the grand, statue-guarded gate, settling on the solemn, imposing architecture hidden in the depths of the campus.

Saint Marika Academy.

One of the empire’s most prestigious institutions of learning, it boasted a vast and powerful faculty and immense educational resources. It was a sacred sanctuary of knowledge that countless students dreamed of attending.

There was a saying about Saint Marika Academy: “Even a toad that hops through these gates will graduate transformed into a graceful, noble swan.” It was an exaggeration, of course, but it spoke to the profound influence of the academy.

“Has it really been a whole year?”

A wave of nostalgia washed over Ariel.

A year ago, after her mother had passed away from illness, she had been brought back by her father, the Count. In an instant, she had been transformed from a commoner into the third daughter of Count Bourgard.

But becoming the Count’s daughter hadn’t improved her situation. On the contrary, her status as an illegitimate child had made her the target of disdain and bullying from the self-proclaimed “pure-blood” nobles at the academy.

And among them all, Ewan Campbell had been the most detestable.

He constantly picked fights, always tried to trip her up. Nearly every time they met, he would sneer at her with the same insult: “filthy servant with lowly blood.”

But the most unforgivable thing, the absolute worst part, was that he was Princess Celicia’s fiancé!

How was he worthy?!

Celicia was so cold, so noble, so breathtakingly beautiful. A spot as the master of her crystal palace had long been reserved for the princess.

How was Ewan Campbell possibly worthy?!

Damn that bastard. If it weren’t for the almighty halo of “Duke’s Son” protecting him, she would have long since taken his tofu-dreg-filled head and shaken it until it was scrambled, then kicked him into a ditch to stop him from polluting the environment with his presence.

But thankfully, even without her intervention, Ewan Campbell was a certified waste of space. Arrogant, ignorant, and with his nose perpetually in the air. It was said that in his entire first year, the only spell he managed to learn was “Light,” a feat of such spectacular failure that it had apparently caused the magic department’s Professor Planck to lose three nights of sleep.

Every time she saw him desperately trying to get close to Celicia, shamelessly flaunting his status as her fiancé, Ariel found it simply too hilarious.

Go on, keep trying, she would think. Can’t you see the disgust in Celicia’s eyes? A cold, proud person like her would despise nothing more than someone clinging to her like a piece of sticky, worthless candy.

“If you want to win Celicia’s heart, you have to do it like me: work hard to improve yourself, and then bide your time.”

Ariel’s lips twisted into her signature, rebellious smirk.

“In the past year, not only has my strength grown by leaps and bound, from a commoner who had never even seen magic to the undisputed number one in my entire grade, but in the short, two-month vacation, I also defeated my two stupid older brothers and officially became the heir to the earldom. I imagine that even someone like Celicia will have to take notice of me now. The time is right. I can approach her under the guise of asking for swordsmanship advice, get a little closer, maybe a little accidental touching, and then grind that affection rating. With a long-term strategy like that… hmph, Celicia will be mine sooner or later!”

Ariel clenched her fist, giving a small, internal cheer for her own perfect plan.

Straightening the collar of her academy uniform, she stepped out of the carriage and walked through the great gates, her heart full of anticipation and excitement.

“Well, well, if it isn’t the filthy servant with lowly blood. I was wondering why the air in the academy suddenly smelled so foul. Turns out it was just you.”

Unfortunately, her pleasant mood didn’t last long. It was shattered by a few brainless idiots who didn’t know their place.

Ariel lifted her gaze, her eyes turning cold as she looked at the group of young noblemen blocking her path. “Emon. Has your master sent you out to bark again?”

As the son of a duke, Ewan Campbell’s reputation was so toxic that few were willing to associate with him. But there were always a few power-hungry dogs willing to become his lackeys, ready to do his bidding. The young man before her, Emon, was the one who barked the loudest.

“Bark? I don’t appreciate that word.” Emon stepped in front of Ariel, using his height to look down on her. He sneered, “Ariel Bourgard. Raised by commoners to the very end. You truly have no manners. Is that any way to speak to your senior?”

“I speak to people like people, and to dogs like dogs. Being considerate and treating everyone as they deserve has always been my motto.” Hearing the word “commoners,” a flash of cold fury passed through Ariel’s eyes. “Is there anything else, Emon? If not, please step aside. I’m not as idle as you. I don’t have time for such meaningless games.”

“Hmph. Since you put it that way, I won’t beat around the bush.” Emon pulled off one of his gloves and slapped it on the ground in front of Ariel. “I challenge you, Ariel Bourgard!”

“Huh?” Ariel froze.

Again?

How many times have you people challenged me?

It was at least three times last semester.

Are you all just lining up to be my punching bags?

“Hmph. We were careless last time. We underestimated you and sent that idiot Gru. We never expected you to have a breakthrough even in the middle of the fight. But this time is different. This time, I will face you myself! I will make you taste the humiliation of defeat, and then you will be ridiculed by the entire academy!” Emon snarled.

No, you’re a fourth-year student challenging a second-year. Even if I lose, I won’t be the one who gets ridiculed.

On the contrary, aren’t you ashamed to be challenging me in the first place?

Ariel was at a loss for words. She was genuinely starting to believe that anyone who hung around Ewan Campbell for too long ended up with a head full of tofu dregs.

“It’s happening again.”

“Ariel is so pitiful, they’re always harassing her.”

“Sigh, why hasn’t anyone put that wretched Campbell in his place?”

“Shh, quiet down, don’t let them hear you.”

A crowd began to gather. Most of them were commoners who didn’t care about Ariel’s illegitimate status, and they looked on with pity. Some were even secretly cheering her on.

“You can do it, Ariel! We believe in you!”

Of course, there were also dissenting opinions. “Sigh, she’s in for it this time. That Emon is one of the top students in the fourth year. They call him the ‘Wolf of Campbell.’ His Blood Wolf Summoning is said to be masterful. Even many of the professors have praised him. He’s Ewan Campbell’s most vicious rabid dog. Even if Ariel defeated the third-year Gru last time, she’s probably no match for the much stronger Emon.”

“…” Listening to this “objective” analysis, the corner of Ariel’s mouth twitched. She felt like she had heard the exact same speech many times before. Same soup, different bowl. They just swapped out the name, but the phrasing was identical. And every single time, she had proven them spectacularly wrong.

This time… would be no different.

A spark of fighting spirit ignited in Ariel’s eyes. Her blood began to pump with excitement. The Wolf of Campbell? Good. This would be a perfect test of the results of her training over the past two months. At the same time, if a brand-new second-year could defeat a fourth-year… a result that astonishing would surely make Celicia notice her even more.

Ariel’s lip curled into a smirk. “Alright, I acc—”

But just as she was about to accept the challenge, a commotion rippled through the crowd. Someone shouted in a low, excited voice, “It’s Ewan Campbell!”