After I Torched Alive, My Alpha Went crazy novel Chapter 169

I inclined my head slightly, unwilling to let her words diminish me, but knowing better than to challenge her authority outright.

King Luna exhaled sharply, "Enough of this nonsense. This is no place for juvenile squabbles. If you wish to prove yourselves, do so with dignity and competence, not with petty insults."

The room fell into a tense silence, the kind that amplifies every nervous fidget and hushed murmur.

I could feel the heat of everyone’s eyes on me, the weight of judgment pressing down like a thousand invisible stones.

Nova was the first to speak, breaking the silence that had fallen. "This woman…" she started, her voice dripping with contempt. "Grace only speaks mean words. She’s just hateful. I can’t stand it."

I opened my mouth, about to defend myself, but when I saw Queen Luna’s cold eyes fixed on me, I swallowed the words.

I’d already disrupted the class enough for one day, and Queen Luna’s gaze told me everything I needed to know: I wasn’t about to make things worse.

I sighed, shoulders slumping as I admitted, "I’ve disrupted the class. I’m sorry."

A fleeting look of satisfaction flickered across Queen Luna’s face before she quickly masked it. I couldn’t be sure if I had imagined it, but Tina’s whisper caught my attention.

"You see that?" Tina murmured. "The queen just showed satisfaction. She’s pleased with you, Grace."

I blinked, unsure of what Tina was implying. "No, Tina," I whispered back. "I think you’re mistaken. I don’t think she’s pleased with me."

Still, I couldn’t ignore the feeling that Tina had seen something I hadn’t. Queen Luna was a mystery, and I didn’t trust myself to understand her.

With her arrival, the atmosphere in the room changed instantly. Everyone grew quiet, their pens poised, ready to take notes.

The entire class seemed to have transformed from a chaotic mess of gossip and arguments into a model of disciplined learning. Queen Luna’s presence was that powerful.

Before she left, Queen Luna addressed the class in her usual commanding tone. "I will be arranging an exam soon. I expect all of you to perform well. If your grades are poor, you’ll be leaving the palace first. Do I make myself clear?"

I heard her words, and I couldn’t help but glance nervously at the others. I could see some of the noble girls blanch at the thought of being dismissed.

And then, I caught sight of Nova. That idiot would likely be one of the first to be dismissed, I thought with a bitter edge to my thoughts.

Queen Luna had made it clear that every class would be tested. That meant everything, from history lessons to dance steps, would be scrutinized.

I, too, felt a pang of anxiety. The thought of an exam, on top of everything else, was enough to make my head spin.

Carlos chuckled, brushing a strand of hair from my face with a tenderness that made my heart flutter.

"You’re doing great. You always do. But you deserve a break, Grace. Let’s get out of here."

As Carlos spoke, I could feel the eyes of the noble girls around us, their whispers and murmurs growing louder.

I heard one of them comment under her breath, "How rude. She’s acting so familiar with him."

I could tell that the girls around us didn’t understand. They had been raised in a world of politeness, of maintaining appearances and proper etiquette at all times.

To them, my closeness with Carlos probably seemed inappropriate, too informal, too intimate for someone in my position.

But Carlos wasn’t just anyone. If the noble girls wanted to judge us, so be it.

Carlos’s voice cut through my thoughts as he carried Cyrus closer to the group of whispering girls. He stood tall, his presence commanding attention.

"It’s also impolite to gossip about other people behind their backs," he said, his voice firm, his eyes scanning the group. "And judging people without knowing them? That’s not the behavior I expect from anyone here."