The infirmary doors creaked open, and the tension in the room shifted immediately. Kiana, sitting stiffly in the chair, winced as the doctor checked her bruised chest and arms. The injuries were more a reflection of her reckless aggression than Seraphina's precise strikes, but the narrative quickly turned against the latter.
It wasn't long before the argument spilled into the principal's office.
Seraphina and William were called in.
Director Lang's face was thunderous as he stood with his arms crossed, glaring at William and Seraphina entering the room. The air was thick with conflict as William stood by the window, his expression unreadable, while Seraphina remained calm yet defiant, seated across from them.
"Instructor William, you cannot tell me that Seraphina didn't take things too far in their sparring session," Director Lang barked. "The injuries speak for themselves. Kiana's bruises—especially on her chest—are too severe to ignore!"
William turned toward him, his piercing gaze cutting through Lang's theatrics. "Are you saying sparring shouldn't come with injuries? Or are you saying you expect special treatment for certain students?"
Lang's jaw tightened. "Special treatment?! She nearly injured her classmate beyond recovery!"
Seraphina smirked, her arms crossed casually as she leaned back in her chair. "If I wanted to injure her beyond recovery, I wouldn't have left her able to sit here crying about it, would I?"
"Quiet!" Lang snapped.
William shot Seraphina a warning look, and she straightened slightly, her expression remaining calm but alert.
Lang stormed forward and turned toward Principal Lin, who sat quietly behind the desk. "Principal, I request immediate action against Seraphina. She should be expelled for misconduct and unnecessary violence during training!"
Principal Lin sighed, rubbing his temples. "Let's hear what Kiana has to say first. Bring her in."
Moments later, Kiana entered the room, supported by the doctor. She walked slowly, clutching her side with exaggerated effort.
"Thank you for coming, Kiana," Principal Lin began, his voice even. "Tell us what happened during the sparring session."
Kiana glanced between Lang and Lin before speaking, her tone weak and pitiful. "We were assigned to spar with each other, and everything was fine at first. But when it was Seraphina's turn to attack, she didn't hold back at all! I asked her to stop, but she ignored me and kept going. She… she didn't care about the rules, Principal. She wanted to humiliate me."
Lang nodded fervently, his expression grim. "You see? She deliberately targeted Kiana. This level of arrogance cannot be tolerated!"
Seraphina rolled her eyes, muttering under her breath, "Sweet little lotus flower…"
Principal Lin raised a hand, signaling her to stay silent. "Is that true, Seraphina? Did you ignore the rules and attack recklessly?"
Seraphina tilted her head slightly, her lips curling into a smirk. "Not at all, Principal. Sparring is supposed to simulate combat, isn't it? Close combat isn't a game of hugs. If Kiana couldn't defend herself, that's her problem—not mine."
Lang's face turned red as he stepped forward. "She's making excuses, Principal! This level of disrespect—"
William moved suddenly, stepping in front of Seraphina. His presence silenced Lang immediately. "Watch yourself, Director Lang. As I've said before, Seraphina is my soldier. If she's done something wrong, *I* will handle it—not you."
Lang's mouth opened and closed, his fury bubbling just beneath the surface. "So you would protect her even after this level of misconduct? Kiana is also your soldier!"
William's gaze remained steady, his voice firm. "And I treat them equally. If Kiana made mistakes, I'd address them too. But injuries during training are part of the process—not an excuse to avoid accountability."
Kiana stiffened as William's words cut through the tension. Principal Lin sat back, observing the standoff between the two men.
"What do you suggest we do, Kiana?" Principal Lin finally asked.
Kiana hesitated, glancing nervously at Lang, who nodded at her encouragingly. "I… I think Seraphina should apologize to me. That's all I want, Principal. Just an apology."
Lang smiled faintly, satisfied with her response.
But before Principal Lin could speak, William's voice interrupted.
"No."
The room fell silent, all eyes turning toward him.
William's expression was calm, his tone unwavering. "Seraphina has done nothing wrong. Apologizing would set a dangerous precedent—that performance in training can be substituted with empty apologies."
Principal Lin looked surprised. "Instructor William, I thought—"
"I will not have my soldiers punished for excelling at what they do," William continued, his gaze shifting briefly toward Seraphina. "If Kiana had put as much energy into sparring as she does into complaining, she wouldn't be sitting here injured."
Kiana's face turned pale, her embarrassment evident. Lang looked as though he might explode.
Principal Lin sighed deeply, rubbing his forehead. "Very well. No apology will be issued. But Seraphina," he added, turning toward her, "I expect you to be mindful in future training sessions. We can't afford incidents like this again."
Seraphina nodded lazily, her smirk returning. "Noted, Principal."
Lang stormed out of the room, dragging Kiana with him. Principal Lin watched them leave, shaking his head before dismissing William and Seraphina as well.
As they left the office, William glanced down at Seraphina, his expression unreadable. "Control your tongue next time. Solve problems with discipline, not theatrics."
Seraphina grinned at him, tilting her head. "You didn't seem too upset about it earlier."
William smirked faintly but said nothing.
As they walked back toward the training grounds, the tension slowly melted away. Seraphina couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction— it seems this place is not unbearable.