How To Survive A Calamity

'Mortifying.'

That was how the first princess, Deandra Lunar de'LaCurt of the Lunar kingdom felt.

Inexplicably disgraceful and frustrating.

She clenched her fists, gritting her teeth, as she stumped away from the class during the latter half of the day, her red hair swaying behind her back. The day was over, and all official school activities had concluded.

Only a few hours ago, Deandra had been chosen as the class representative of her class and the outcome had left her with unsettled and mixed feelings.

Her beautiful face contorted into a menacing grimace.

'How dare she...!'

Deandra was on her way back after just returning from Wrenna Marlowe's office. She slammed the door behind her and stomped inside with her chest heaving.

The room interior of the second ranker was more exquisite in comparison to the lower ranks. It was immensely wide, featuring quality furnitures, and an extended room.

Off to ome side of the wide room which was nore like a hotel suite, there was a massive, and imposing steel door implanted into a wall across. It separated the training room from the regular living areas.

Deandra stormed into her room and slammed a center table with a ferocious expression and growled from behind gritted teeth.

"How dare she!"

Sometime ago, Deandra had been the one chosen for the class representative position. A position most usually given to the highest ranked student and strongest cadet of a class.

Was she the strongest?

Sure Deandra was ranked second, not only in her own class, but in the entire school year. Accordingly she was also the second strongest.

Her academic abilities were undeniable. Her prestige and background couldn't be easily disregarded either. If anything, Deandra held everything and fit the criteria to be chosen as Class representative. Enjoy new stories from empire

But the thing was.

So did Number One Ceres. And perhaps even more.

Deandra never liked Ceres ever since the beginning.

The mere fact that some nameless nobody emerged from out of nowhere and stole the First position that was supposed to belong to her had been a heated thorn in her flesh ever since.

Actually, at first it wasn't even a matter of not liking Ceres, but feeling frustration and dissatisfaction at herself for being unable to clinch Rank one. But over time her emotion for Ceres had gradually evolved.

The current number one isn't fit to be.

There was a certain pride, prestige and responsibility and honour that came with being the top ranker of Aegis amongst an entire school year that Deandra concluded Ceres lacked.

The number one student was a leader and a beacon of growth for those below them. They were to lead and shine the way forward. To trudge ahead with a raised head and unshakable will.

But Ceres had none of that.

She was indifferent to anything and everything, even the expectant gazes of her classmates and those lower than her. She didn't lead or make no attempts to be seen as a leader.

She had no sense of responsibility.

No honour.

No pride and prestige.

The top rank was supposed to be a leader deeply tied with the affairs of the entire school year. But Ceres with her nature and behaviour was unfit

Just because she was stronger by a few ranks didn't mean she deserved the position. So Deandra already decided to take it from her.

-"Duel me."

A few days before, Deandra had approached Ceres after class and challenged her for her rank and position.

What better and faster way was there to steal the rights and position of another than an organised duel?

'As the supposed top ranking student, she has a responsibility to oblige.' confidently, she had thought so.

Ceres was strong. If there was ever a single credit Deandra would give to her, then it was that. The gaps between ranks, and realms were undeniable.

A duel with Ceres wasn't going to be easy.

Despite knowing all of this very well, Deandra was prepared.

'Someone like that doesn't deserve that title.'

Even if by a hair's breath, she would win and steal the first position from Ceres.

But.

-"I refuse."

-"Huh?"

-"I said i refuse."

Ceres' unexpected response had left her mind blank for a few moments at the time.

Ceres had replied in her usual dry and sullen manner. It was a blank expression of her thoughts in words without so much as an explanation, nor a ripple in her sullen face.

It was a flat out rejection.

Ceres had refused Deandra's challenge the first time.

....and the second time.

And the time after that again.

Each time Deandra had confronted Ceres over her position, she had been flatly rejected without even a proper explanation or reason.

The dueling system was designed in such a manner were the challenged had all rights to deny a confrontation. Any duel that is forced upon someone is judged and punished by the management.

So there was nothing much to what Deandra could do about Ceres' rejections but grow more and more frustrated in time.

'Why!'

'Aren't you the first? Aren't you the strongest?'

'If you're the best, shouldn't you have no problems dueling me?'

Those questions ate through Deandra's mind and thoughts for a period of time. At the same time, the interaction between the two of them were limited as such.

The only other time the two had ever been close to what was a duel was at the first General Combat Class with Derrick Greybarn. Where pairs had to be formed.

Deandra had paired with Ceres to gauge her rival, and test her ability. But before that confrontation could escalate, it was called off by the instructor who announced he had seen enough of their performance to determine their level.

There was frustration in there to for Deandra, but as it was an order from an instructor, she couldn't do anything about it.

In the same way there was nothing she could do to force Ceres.

Later on Deandra discovered some low level had challenged Ceres to a duel and Ceres agreed.

'How?!' for a moment, Deandra had thought she would run mad.

Why would Ceres deny her challenge, only to accept one from a completely random nobody?

Perhaps Ceres Walker was a fraud. Perhaps she could only seem great in the face of those lesser and weaker than her.

Deandra had thought so, but knew better.

Ceres Walker was no fraud.

As much as her background and appearance were a mystery, her ability was undeniable.

The Academy wouldn't make such a mistake...

And she too had felt it. That one time at the General Combat Class when Ceres had unraveled a fraction of her power. It was also the way Hero ranked Awakened presented themselves exuding a silent kind of oppression to their surroundings.

It was like a 'pride.'

Ceres had that unspoken pride.

She wasn't a scam. But Deandra still struggled to understand her thought process and action.

But alas, all of those were a series of event that led on to the current situation.

"Haaa..." Deandra let out a hoarse sigh and took a sit on the edge of her wide bed. She crossed over one leg, and crossed her arms together at her chest.

Her flawless face was still twisted in a ferocious expression, as Deandra let her eyes closed. Her brows were furrowed and the edges of her lips contorted and twisted.

At this moment, Deandra was a bundle of emotions and frustration after what happened today.

The class representative position. She still couldn't understand why Ceres did 'that'.

Earlier today, Deandra had met with her class advisor Wrenna with a serious expression to question why Ceres wasn't chosen instead of her.

Wrenna had replied with an exhausted and paling expression as if she was tired by everything.

She rubbed her eyes and said with her gaze focused on some documents.

"That girl...she already refused the position in secret and there was nothing i could fo about it. Instead, she suggested i offered it to you..."

Deandra discovered Ceres had already been initially approached for the post but quietly turned it down. It was thanks to her that Deandra was chosen.

And this just confirmed it more.

Deandra wasn't meant to be chosen as the class representative.

Ceres was.

She was only a second thought. If Ceres couldn't be class representative, then who else could?

Yes. The 'second' best person after Ceres.

That was Deandra Lunar de'LaCurt.

An after thought.

The comparison between the two.

The embarrassment...

Deandra was furious, and unable to hold it in any more she found Ceres to confront her.

"Why did you do that? Aren't you the top student, shouldn't you lead by example?"

Ceres tilted her head blankly, her response was devoid of emotion.

"Why should i? Is that how it's supposed to be?"

Deandra clenched her teeth.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

"You..."

Ceres met Deandra's glare coldy.

"It's annoying. All of you."

As expected.

"She has to go."

Ceres was unbefitting of a leader.