A Security Guard’s Unyielding Resolve

The Little Prince’s expression stiffened, and his cronies immediately began to clamor.

“How dare you! Do you even know who stands before you!”

“This is Augustus Obsidian, son of Prince Obsidian himself!”

“You commoner! If not for your passable looks, His Royal Highness wouldn’t even deign to speak with you…”

Augustus raised a hand to silence them. “Cease your impudence. Within the academy’s walls, we are all students, without regard for status or birth.”

He adjusted his collar, his gaze returning to the petite security guard. “I am genuinely interested in borrowing this book. Would you be so kind as to make an exception?”

Iordera offered a cold smile. “I quite like something the Little Prince said: ‘Within the academy’s walls, we are all students.'”

“I…”

“Therefore, I ask that the Little Prince, like all other students, abide by the rules,” Iordera stated, turning back with the senior-level book in hand. “If you wish to read, please choose a book appropriate for first-year students.”

Under the astonished gazes of the crowd, the petite loli, with her long, straight white hair, departed with her head held high, an air of pride surrounding her.

“She’s so arrogant, yet utterly adorable.”

“And quite dashing, too.”

“I’m smitten, truly smitten.”

“Tsk, tsk, tsk. Someone tried to throw their weight around and utterly failed.”

“No way, the Little Prince didn’t actually assert his status. It was all his henchmen talking; he himself remained quite polite.”

“Pfft, you’re right. Do you know why?”

Students attending the tea party moved to the side, whispering amongst themselves, their murmurs rustling through the air.

Augustus stood before the counter, his expression exceedingly grim.

Ding-a-ling-a-ling-a-ling~~

In the distance, the preparatory bell for classes at the academic building rang, bringing the afternoon’s farce to a close.

****

Returning to her post, it wasn’t long before Iordera encountered Mrs. Lailila, the Curator.

“Good afternoon, Curator.”

“Good afternoon, little Iordera,” Mrs. Lailila replied, settling into a seat, her face still graced with a benevolent smile. “I hear you bravely stood against power and threats, unequivocally refusing a student’s unreasonable demand, thereby upholding the library’s rules and order.”

Iordera rubbed the back of her head. “It was only proper. I am a security guard, after all; it’s what I should do.”

‘I am a security guard, I love bear-shaped cookies, I bring warmth to my employer, who praises my endearing foolishness…’

‘Wait a moment, something seems amiss.’

Nonetheless, many indeed considered her rather simple-minded after this incident, and even Mrs. Lailila offered a gentle warning.

“That child from the Obsidian family merely sought to reclaim some dignity. Your actions, however, have only made him a greater laughingstock, and he will surely not let this slight pass.”

After delivering this assessment, Mrs. Lailila added, “Of course, you performed admirably. You not only upheld the rules but also preserved the academy’s prestige.”

Given the unique nature of the academy, all students enrolled there were either wealthy or noble. If students could leverage their status to gain privileges through mere intimidation, what would become of the school’s regulations?

“It’s quite alright; I’m not afraid,” Iordera declared confidently. “The Little Prince cannot defeat me in a fight.”

Mrs. Lailila paused, then offered a helpless smile. “He won’t need to act personally; others will do his bidding.”

“Then there’s even less to fear. Even all his lackeys combined couldn’t defeat me,” Iordera asserted, clenching her small fists. “I’ll take them down one by one.”

Mrs. Lailila was momentarily speechless. Having long navigated the intricate world of high-ranking officials, she had truly never encountered such a blunt individual.

“It won’t necessarily be a physical confrontation; there are other ways to seek retribution. For instance, their immense influence could allow them to exert pressure, making your relatives’ professional lives exceedingly difficult…”

“It’s no trouble,” Iordera chirped cheerfully. “I’m the only one in my family who works. The other two are lazy good-for-nothings I support, and they never even leave the house.”

Mrs. Sanders, ostensibly, had no connection to her, and no one would be able to trace anything back to her.

The only one who could be publicly traced to her was Hecate, who had, after all, taken her on a “date” in Saroyan just days prior.

The question then became: would Augustus Obsidian dare to seek trouble with Hecate?

Prince Obsidian himself might even perish as a result.

“So there’s absolutely no problem,” Iordera declared, full of vigor. “I shall uphold the order of this library!”

‘See? How dedicated, how brave, how considerate of the company she is! So, promote her to Security Supervisor already!’

“Very well, keep up the good work, little Iordera,” Mrs. Lailila said with a smile. “Continue on this path, and your future will undoubtedly be bright.”

‘It was merely a promise of future rewards (TL Note: “Drawing a 饼” or “drawing a cake” is a Chinese idiom meaning to make empty promises or give false hope, like dangling a carrot).’

‘Alright, a promise it is. It’s probably a bit much to expect a promotion and raise after only a few days on the job.’

Iordera resumed her duties as a security guard.

****

On the rooftop, Hecate leisurely sipped her black tea, gazing down at the unfolding events below.

Many assumed that the witch, having finally escaped her confinement, would undoubtedly scheme to reclaim all she had lost, perhaps even exacting revenge along the way.

Even a certain loli named Iordera held this belief.

In reality, however, Hecate spent each day quietly seated on the rooftop, observing the myriad happenings within the library below.

Occasionally, she would sip tea or water a potted plant, her life a picture of utter contentment.

The day of leisurely idleness quickly passed, and it was soon time to go home. Iordera casually tidied her belongings, performed a perfunctory sweep of the floor, and prepared to leave.

The weather that day was rather dismal; thick clouds blanketed the sky, portending rain. Usually, darkness wouldn’t descend until after eight, but now, barely past six, the sky was already devoid of light, cloaked in a dim twilight.

As she walked, Iordera sensed that something was amiss.

The rustling from the haystacks behind her sounded distinctly unlike the wind.

Recalling Mrs. Lailila’s warning from earlier in the day, a certainty settled within her. Pausing briefly at a corner, Iordera closed her eyes.

[…3, 2, 1, switch successful.]

Her vision opened to an empty expanse, save for a few energy clusters, displaying information, slowly drawing nearer.

Level 21, Level 23, Level 25, Level 27.

‘Ah, this? Is this all?’

Iordera was suddenly at a loss for words.

The Little Prince’s quartet of cronies, it had to be said, possessed a surprising degree of tactical acumen. Seeing Iordera rooted to the spot, two of them circled around from the sides, ultimately positioning themselves with two in front and two behind, trapping her in a pincer movement.

Iordera pondered for a moment, then looked at the boys before her, attempting to feign surprise. “It’s you? What do you want?”

“You little wretch, we offered you courtesy earlier and you scorned it. Do you regret it now?” the leading boy sneered, a cruel grin twisting his features. “Originally, a simple apology on your knees would have sufficed, but now…”

Another boy, chuckling obscenely, chimed in, “But now we’ve changed our minds. This little wretch actually looks quite appealing. If you want to apologize, you’ll need to show more sincerity.”

“For example… hehe.”

Iordera’s face darkened, seemingly indicating a foul mood.

It was indeed terrible, or rather, deeply vexing. If she were to use the second stage of Joint Hammer or the third stage of High-Speed Hand Blade, she would likely kill them outright.

Even if they weren’t killed, leaving them permanently crippled would be difficult to explain.