Chapter 76: The Hard Way
The gossip started again almost the moment the search party departed, whispered conversations spreading fast through training yards and dining halls alike.
"they’re really pulling out all the stops this time," one Guide murmured to another near the medical wing, voices low but not quite low enough. "the Emperor himself, leading the search personally. seems excessive for one Guide."
"maybe he’s not just doing it because he’s valuable," another voice cut in, sharper, tinged with something petty and resentful. Dan, one of Mika’s few remaining friends, leaned against the doorway with obvious relish, clearly enjoying an audience. "maybe our little F-Class miracle knows exactly how to work an Emperor and three Sentinels into fighting over him. convenient, isn’t it, landing an SSS-Rank right as he’s got the Crown Prince, a commander, and an ex-fiancé all falling over themselves."
A ripple of uncomfortable laughter passed through the small gathered crowd, though a few faces shifted uneasy at the insinuation.
"that’s not fair," one of the younger Guides said quietly. "he didn’t ask to be taken. twice."
"didn’t he, though," Dan said, shrugging with exaggerated innocence. "convenient timing, wouldn’t you say? disappears right when things get complicated, resurfaces just enough to keep everyone chasing after him. I’m just saying what everyone’s already thinking."
The conversation drifted on, ugly and petty in the way gossip always managed to be crueler than any single person actually intended, each retelling sharpening the edges a little further.
---
Dan found Mika later that evening, practically bursting with the news, settling into the chair across from him with obvious excitement.
"you should have heard what I said today," Dan said, grinning. "half the medical wing was listening. I really got them thinking, you know? about Julian. about how convenient it all is."
Mika, who had spent the past several weeks nursing his own bitter resentment in relative quiet since his dismissal from the Guide corps, felt something ugly and satisfied unfurl in his chest at the description. "good," he said. "someone finally saying it out loud. everyone’s been too scared to point out the obvious."
"the Emperor’s really leading the search himself, though," Dan said, some of his earlier bravado dimming slightly. "personally. that’s not nothing, Mika. maybe they really do think he’s worth all this."
Something in Mika’s expression twisted sharp and ugly at that, weeks of buried resentment finally boiling over. "why won’t they just STOP looking for that loser," he snapped, standing abruptly, pacing the length of his room with agitated, furious energy. "he’s gone. he’s probably dead by now, or turned into one of those things, and they’re all still throwing everything they have at finding him, wasting resources, wasting lives, and for what? some F-Class nobody who got lucky with one rank?"
Dan shifted uncomfortably, some of his earlier enthusiasm draining at the raw venom in Mika’s voice. "Mika..."
"no," Mika said, cutting him off, jaw tight with fury. "I’m done waiting around for everyone to come to their senses on their own. if they won’t stop looking for him voluntarily, then I’m going to do this the hard way instead."
Dan blinked, caught off guard by the sudden shift. "what do you mean, the hard way?"
Mika’s expression shifted, something calculating and satisfied replacing the raw fury, and he crossed to his desk, pulling out a folded letter with obvious, deliberate pride. "I’ve been transferred," he said. "to the Elite Academy. formal notice came through yesterday. better resources, better instructors, better everything, compared to this backwater place that’s spent the last two months obsessing over one useless Guide."
"the Elite Academy," Dan repeated, impressed despite himself. "how’d you manage that, after..."
"my family still has influence," Mika said, waving the concern away with careless confidence. "more than enough to smooth over a minor dismissal, once I made the right people understand exactly how unfairly I’d been treated here." His mouth curved into something sharp and pleased. "and once I’m settled in properly, I’ve got a plan. a good one."
"what kind of plan," Dan asked, curiosity plain despite his earlier discomfort.
Mika’s smile widened, something cold and calculating settling behind his satisfaction. "the Elite Academy trains alongside several noble houses with direct influence over Imperial succession," he said. "houses that have never particularly liked the idea of an Emperor binding himself to some F-Class nobody who clawed his way into an SSS-Rank overnight. plenty of people there would be very interested in hearing exactly how convenient Julian’s disappearances have been, and exactly how much political chaos this entire search has already cost the Empire."
Dan’s eyes widened slightly. "you’re going to turn the nobility against him."
"I’m going to make sure," Mika said, voice cold and deliberate now, "that even if by some miracle they actually find him and drag him back here, there won’t be a single door left open for him by the time he arrives. no support. no goodwill. nothing but nobles who already believe he’s manipulated his way into an Emperor’s bed and a Crown Prince’s proposal both." He smoothed the transfer letter carefully, satisfaction settling deep and comfortable across his expression. "let’s see how well loved he really is, once the people with actual influence start asking hard questions about exactly how he ended up so valuable in the first place."
Dan sat back slowly, something uneasy flickering behind his earlier enthusiasm now that the plan had taken concrete shape in front of him. "that seems..."
"don’t go soft on me now," Mika said sharply, cutting him off. "you agreed with me earlier today. you were the one stirring things up in the medical wing, remember?"
"I know," Dan said quickly, though the unease didn’t fully leave his expression. "I just... didn’t realize you meant something this big."
"I mean exactly this big," Mika said, folding the letter and tucking it carefully into his travel case, already half-packed for his departure. "I’ve spent two months watching everyone fawn over a nobody while I lost everything I actually worked for. it’s time somebody with real influence finally did something about it."
He turned back toward Dan, something sharp and satisfied settling into his expression, already looking forward, already picturing the doors he intended to close long before Julian ever had the chance to walk through them again.
"the Elite Academy," Mika said quietly, almost fondly, "is going to be very, very useful."