Chapter 449:Resolution.

Chapter 449: 449:Resolution.

Her mother adjusted herself in the chair.

"Especially now."

Something about her tone changed.

Shirley’s anger faded slightly.

"What happened?"

Her mother glanced toward Shirley’s father but he looked away. That was enough to tell her something was wrong.

She sat straighter.

"What’s wrong?"

"The business isn’t doing well."

Shirley frowned.

"How badly?"

"Worse than when you left."

Her mother spoke calmly, but Shirley knew that calmness meant the problem was serious.

"I didn’t want to tell you this and burden our sweet child but it seems it’s inevitable," she said, her tone lowered. "We were already losing contracts. Then Ravenna broke his hand."

Shirley knew immediately who she meant.

The son of one of their major business associates. Ravenna hadn’t merely rejected him, she had broken his hand after he pushed too far.

At the time Shirley had laughed when she’d heard thinking if Ravenna as a brute

Now her mother wasn’t laughing.

"His father took it personally even after the exile, he refused to forgive us since that boys arm healed wrong. He lost his change of becoming a contractor. We just found that out."

"But... this is ridiculous, they said they won’t hold it over us even if something happens" Shirley said, although it was something of weak as she tried to find reason in the absurdity of everything.

Shirley’s mother sighed.

"Thats just empty words," she said, rhen continued. "Whether he promised is irrelevant to what happened afterward. His father has pulled business from us. Two companies connected to him followed. Another is reconsidering its contract."

Shirley became quiet.

"We’re losing money?"

"Yes," her mom responded.

"How much?" She asked.

"Enough that you don’t need the exact number."

She looked down at her hands as she started to rub her thimb absentmidedly.

Her mother continued.

"So stop antagonizing Ravenna openly."

Shirley looked up.

"What?"

"You heard me."

"You want me to pretend I like her?"

"I want you to stop announcing that you hate her every time she’s within ten meters of you."

Shirley frowned.

"I’ve not even done that, I’ve tried to be civil and not start a fight."

Her mother leaned closer to the screen.

"Good. If you genuinely believe Silver is different from what our investigation showed, then screaming at Ravenna and behaving like a jealous child won’t get you anywhere."

Shirley said nothing.

"Be pleasant."

Her father’s expression changed.

"Don’t encourage this," he said, but it came out weekly.

"I’m encouraging our daughter to stop behaving foolishly."

"You know exactly what you’re doing."

Her mother ignored him and looked directly at Shirley.

"Lower Ravenna’s guard."

Shirley slowly smiled.

"She’ll never trust me," she quietly said.

"She doesn’t need to trust you." Her mother spoke as though explaining something obvious. "She only needs to stop expecting you to attack every time you open your mouth. Apologize when it costs you nothing. Cooperate during academy exercises. Be polite around Silver. Let him see that you aren’t what Ravenna says you are."

Shirley’s smile grew.

"And then?"

Her father stood.

"No," he said.

Her mother looked toward him.

He shook his head.

"I’m not listening to this."

He walked away from the call.

Shirley watched him leave.

Her mother waited until he was gone, then continued.

"Men are easier than you think."

Shirley listened.

"You don’t need to throw yourself at him. That would make you look desperate, especially when he’s already attached to Ravenna. You need patience."

Her mother smiled faintly.

"Be friendly. Be helpful. Let him notice you."

Shirley looked down at herself.

Her mother noticed.

"Exactly."

Shirley smiled.

"A little skin?"

"A little." Her mother laughed quietly. "Not enough to make your intentions obvious. Just enough to remind him you’re a woman."

She leaned back.

"And Ravenna?"

"Ravenna will handle herself."

"What does that mean?"

"You know her temper."

Shirley’s smile slowly returned.

"If you behave pleasantly and she attacks you, who looks unreasonable?" Her mom said, her voice almost hypnotic.

Shirley understood.

Her mother continued.

"Don’t invent anything. You don’t need to. Ravenna has plenty of bad habits. Let Silver see them without constantly protecting her from the consequences."

"She’ll get angry if I get close to him."

"Probably."

"She might hit me."

"Then don’t hit her first."

Shirley laughed.

Her mother didn’t.

"I’m serious. You’re at the Academy. There are instructors, recordings and students everywhere. If Ravenna loses control while you’re behaving perfectly, let her."

Shirley nodded slowly.

"And Silver?"

"Don’t rush." Her mother’s expression became serious. "You’re beautiful. You’re talented. You’re from the same family as Ravenna, and you’re attending the same academy. You have opportunities to interact naturally. This will be like slowly boiling a frog, he won’t notice until he’s wrapped around your fingers. Men never change their true colours, he might just be putting a front."

Shirley smiled.

"Men aren’t complicated," Shirley added. "And if Ravenna is as difficult as she always is, eventually he’ll notice."

Her mother nodded.

"Exactly."

Shirley looked toward the dark window.

She imagined it.

Silver realizing Ravenna wasn’t right for him. Him noticing her instead.

Silver understanding that the rumors and hostility between the sisters didn’t tell the entire story. Maybe even the Ruddington family recognizing that Shirley was the better choice.

Her confidence returned completely.

"I can do it."

Her mother smiled.

"Then stop acting like you hate her."

Shirley laughed.

"I do hate her."

"I know." Her mother leaned back. "You simply don’t need Ravenna to know exactly what you’re thinking every second."

Shirley nodded.

"Fine."

"Be patient."

"I will."

"Be pleasant."

"I can."

"And stop competing with her when you don’t need to."

That was harder.

Shirley hesitated, then nodded.

"I’ll try."

Her mother smiled.

"That’s my girl."

The call ended.

Shirley remained seated in the darkness for several minutes, then she looked at her reflection in the window.

She smiled.

By morning, the hostility was gone, not the hatred, that would never disappear. Shirley had no intention of reconciling with Ravenna. She simply intended to become much better at hiding it.

---

Four days later, Ravenna stared suspiciously at Shirley across Class Four’s preparation room.

Silver noticed immediately.

He was standing beside Helena while she reviewed the equipment allocation projected above their table, but his attention shifted when Ravenna’s expression became increasingly strange.

Shirley had just smiled at her but this time it was pleasant instead of the usual strained smile filled with sarcasm and mockery.

"Good luck today," she pleasantly said.

Ravenna just stared, her face cringing in a way she didn’t know she could.

Shirley adjusted the strap holding her sword.

"I mean it."

Ravenna just continued staring. Shirley eventually walked away completely unbothered by her reaction.

Ravenna watched her go, then looked toward Silver who was already staring at her with a slightly confused expression.

"What?" Ravenna pointed subtly after Shirley. "What was that?"

Silver shrugged.

"She wished you luck."

"I heard what she said, mr obvious," she sarcastically replied.

"Then why are you asking?" He said.

"Because Shirley doesn’t wish me luck."

Silver considered that before responded.

"Maybe she’s trying to be nicer."

Ravenna’s expression became so disbelieving that Silver almost laughed.

"No."

"People do change."

"Not that quickly."

Silver leaned against the equipment table.

"You think she’s planning something?"

"I know she’s planning something."

Helena looked up from the allocation sheet.

"Maybe she actually wants to stop fighting with you."

Ravenna looked toward her.

"No."

Helena raised both hands.

"All right."

Silver smiled at that.

Ravenna pointed at him.

"And don’t encourage her."

"I didn’t."

"You were about to."

"I was going to say that maybe you should wait until she actually does something."

Ravenna narrowed her eyes.

Silver continued.

"If she’s being civil, be civil."

"She’s never civil," Ravenna replied.

"Then enjoy the historic event," Silver nonchalantly responded.

Ravenna sighed.

Silver smiled and leaned closer.

"If she attempts murder, I’ll revise my opinion."

She looked at him, before a reluctant smile graced her lips.

"You’re annoying."

"You like me."

"Unfortunately."

Silver smiled.

"Seventy."

Ravenna’s eyes narrowed.

"Don’t start with this nonsense."

Silver laughed, before he could say something else Peter entered.

The room changed immediately; conversation died and students moved toward their assigned squad stations.

Today was deployment.

Every first-year class had received the same overall mission.

Urban search and extraction.

Locate missing personnel.

Recover a secured military case.

Reach extraction within the time limit.

The academy had divided Urban Training Sector Seven into several operational zones and staggered deployment times so multiple squads from all seven first-year classes could operate simultaneously without immediately interfering with one another.

Silver and Ravenna were not on the same squad. That had been very clealy deliberate on peters end.

Silver’s squad consisted of six students: Helena Seer, Mina Cole, Caleb Orson, Elias Thorn, and a quieter Class Four student named Rowan Pierce whose ability allowed him to temporarily reinforce objects through physical contact.

And Silver.

Ge had expected command but he didn’t receive it.

Peter stood before them.

"Squad Four-B."

Their assignment appeared.

Squad Leader: Helena Seer.

Helena looked at the display, then at Peter before nodding.

Silver smiled faintly.

Peter noticed.

"Problem, Ruddington?"

"No, sir."

"Disappointed?"

He thought about it.

"No."

Peter watched him for another moment.

"Good."