### Chapter 3: Harpist Academy (2)
==============================
Hearing someone greet Trissa with such blatant sarcasm, Lin Nan raised an eyebrow and lifted her skirt as she slowly got off the carriage.
Sure enough, a woman dressed in a gorgeous long gown looked at Trissa with a classic provocative glance, chin held high and eyes slightly slanted. Her hair was twisted up and adorned with plenty of shiny golden decorations that sparkled in the sunlight.
Oh?
Isn’t this the classic “high school rivalry” scene everyone loves?
Let’s see if the script follows Lin Nan’s prediction.
“Edith? What are you doing here?”
Trissa’s response confirmed Lin Nan’s suspicions.
“Why can’t I be here? I’m the top graduate of this year, after all! I’ll get SS ratings in all my upcoming tests. The title of the once-in-a-century genius harpist will soon belong to me!”
Not bad, it looks like the plot indeed needs a spoiled villainess who thinks everyone else is beneath her.
Trissa took a deep breath, seeming to hold back from being too rude in front of Lord Lin.
“Go ahead and take it if you want. Do you really think I care about it?”
Edith interpreted Trissa’s response as cowardice and couldn’t help but smirk, “Of course! With no ability to compete, all that’s left is to say pretty words.”
“Darling, what’s wrong?”
A handsome man in a tight military uniform appeared beside Edith, causing Trissa to freeze momentarily. Her fingers instinctively clenched together as her confident and proud gaze dimmed in an instant.
Lin Nan, who was watching from the sidelines and still veiled, noted the whole scene.
After all, yesterday’s racket at the Temple of Destiny had attracted quite a crowd, and there were probably at least a thousand cultists who witnessed her true self. Now, with the Harpist Academy open to the public, if any of the fans spotted her, it could quickly turn into a scene resembling a wild fan frenzy—totally stealing the spotlight.
So, it was best not to reveal her true identity.
“Oh, it’s nothing! I just bumped into my old senior, so we chatted a bit.”
As soon as Edith said that, she noticed her boyfriend looking at Trissa with a slightly peculiar gaze.
“Konglif, when did you return to the imperial capital from the front lines?” Trissa asked.
The young man chuckled, “Oh, just a couple of weeks ago. I went to your place to look for you, but the butler said you were out of town.”
Edith immediately became displeased, shaking Konglif’s arm as she frowned, “How do you two know each other?”
Konglif replied nonchalantly, “Just childhood playmates.”
Upon hearing his answer, it felt like something inside Trissa shattered, and for a brief moment, she wanted to cry out loud.
However, she ultimately held it together, maintaining her usual expression and smile.
Edith, although merely responding with an “oh,” was looking at Trissa with even more provocation.
She was determined to steal the show during this graduation assessment, surpassing whatever results Trissa had left behind and becoming the dream girl of all the young men in the imperial capital.
Curious, Lin Nan asked Trissa, “What’s the process for the graduation assessment? Don’t harpists win by their playing skills?”
Trissa explained, “Playing skills are just one aspect of the assessment. We learn to use the harp to release various skills, and if you categorize them broadly, there are offensive skills, defensive skills, buffing skills, debuffing skills, and so on. The assessment committee rates each graduate based on their skills, and the final level is compiled from those results. For example, my final assessment back then was an S rank.”
“I see.”
Lin Nan basically understood now.
The grade assessment is akin to a final exam, rating the graduates’ abilities based on their results.
“And who is this beautiful lady?”
Konglif noticed the impressive person talking to Trissa, even while veiled.
Demons have horns on their foreheads, making them easy to distinguish.
“I’m Lin Nan, Trissa’s friend. I heard there’s an event at the Harpist Academy, so I asked Trissa to bring me along to broaden my horizons.”
Lin Nan responded proactively, not wanting to reveal her identity just yet.
“Indeed, not every year does the Harpist Academy have graduates. So many noble girls can’t even trigger a response to the harp; the number of them stuck at the first stage is countless. Thus, the graduation assessments only happen every two to three years, and it’s become a fixed event in our empire, definitely worth a visit. Hope you have fun!”
Konglif seemed quite warm, perhaps out of regard for Trissa.
Of course, this sparked Edith’s discontent. She clung to Konglif’s arm, persistently dragging him in another direction while saying, “Darling, there are still a few projects I’m not very confident about. Can you help me?”
“Of course.”
Konglif didn’t look back again, slowly following his current girlfriend out of their sight.
Just then, Adeline leaped out of the carriage.
“Hey, Trissa, that handsome guy seems to have a bit of interest in you. What a pity he’s with such a shallow girl. Total downgrade!”
Trissa sighed, “Our families used to be neighbors. We often played together when we were kids. But sadly, after I joined the Harpist Academy, my father and his father turned into enemies over political differences, and we’ve lost all contact since. As for him and Edith, I suppose it’s a family arrangement. After all, Edith’s talent in harpistry rivals mine. If she can achieve an S rating or higher, it’ll definitely add some shine to the Konglif family.”
Adeline rolled her eyes, “Another harpist marrying right after graduation.”
“What can you do? It’s the trend! The empire has enjoyed a long period of peace, and neither humans nor monsters pose a significant threat anymore, leaving only random skirmishes at the southern borders with beasts. So… women, if there’s a good home to settle into, why choose a military career?”
Trissa was filled with resignation.
Lin Nan shook her head, “I bet none of the Four Warriors, including Casey, ever thought their legacy would become a commodity for noble girls.”
Thinking back to how Prince Eric even had a couple of harpists in his guard, she initially thought it was standard. But now it seemed, unless Prince Eric shelled out serious cash for an invite, probably no harpist would willingly follow an army into battle.
“Sorry to make you laugh, Lord Lin.”
“Why apologize? At least from you, I see hope that harpists will never fade away.”
Trissa’s eyes couldn’t help but redden.
