Chapter 26 Troy was still the same greedy old Troy , through and through . о 35 vouchers D Lorrayne felt a wave of relief wash over her . She thought , " Thank goodness - he hasn't been transmigrated by someone else , like I have . Now that the crisis was over , it was time to head back to school . Staying out all night would cost her points . She wondered if the academy allowed day students . Showering in the dorms was such a hassle ; she'd have to ask Balk about it one of these days . The night air was enchanting , and bathed in silvery moonlight , Lorrayne returned to the rose - entwined Romanesque castle . At a magic academy with no evening activities to speak of , students tended to hit the hay early . Half the windows in the girls ' dorm were already dark . Or maybe they were just saving on lamp oil - it wasn't exactly cheap these days . Lorrayne gathered up her long skirt and tiptoed up the spiral stone staircase , careful not to wake anyone . A few wall sconces lined the stairwell , their soft yellow flames flickering quietly . As she approached the second floor , a long shadow stretched across the steps . Lorrayne glanced up and locked eyes with Athina standing above her . " You're still here ? " Athina blurted out , visibly surprised . Lorrayne was even more taken aback . " Still here ? Where would I even go ? " Athina peered down at her , her normally poised and smiling face now sharpened with a touch of spite . " I saw you at the stables grabbing a horse . I thought you were bolting ." Lorrayne took a couple more steps up and shot back , " Why on earth would I run away ? " Then what were you doing with the horse ? " Athina demanded , her tone aggressive . Lorrayne chuckled lightly . " The afternoon weather was gorgeous , so I just went for a ride outside the city . Lots of people did the same- why single me out ? " Noble boys love heading out to hunt ; that's par for the course . " And me wanting to clear my head isn't ? " Lorrayne reached the top step and brushed past Athina without backing down an inch . " Is your name Lorrayne Isis , or something else ? " Athina called after her , her voice dripping with icy menace . Lorrayne stopped short and turned . " Where did you hear that surname ? " " So it is you , " Athina hissed , her eyes narrowing like a venomous snake's . " I know what you're up to , but you'd better drop it right now . " Lorrayne replied , "I have no clue what you're talking about ." " Oh , you know damn well . Those things aren't yours anymore . Don't even think about reclaiming them - your tainted bloodline doesn't deserve a scrap The veneer of kindness had cracked , exposing the cold , bony malice lurking beneath her pretty face . Athina glared at her with pure disdain " You're not even worthy to scrub my feet as a maid . " T " That's rich " Lorrayne smirked , drawing out her words . " They say people always harp on what they lack the most . Is that your deal . Athina ? " Athana's face twisted , her fury bubbling into a scornful laugh . " I hope you keep that smart mouth running . Just don't come crawling to me on your knees later " She stormed past Lorrayne , tossing one last warning over her shoulder 11/3 P Chapter 26 " Know your place and get out of Syrria soon . Don't make me take action . " Lorrayne kept smiling . " I'll be waiting with bated breath . " 12:35 vouchers The wall lamps cast elongated shadows across the empty hallway as the two figures headed in opposite directions , drifting further apart . Back in her dorm room , Lorrayne's expression darkened in a flash . She'd totally misjudged Athina's motives all along . Athina wasn't out to expose her ; she wanted to chase her out of the academy - out of Syrria entirely . What Lorrayne had mistaken for testing the waters was really just outright threats . Athina knew something and was threatened by her being there , so she was trying to scare her off or force her to back down . But why , exactly ? She was positive the original owner had never met Athina - they had zero shared history or conflicts . In the owner's memories spanning over a decade , she'd never left that village . Her parents had died when she was young , and the village chief's family had taken her in at age three . As she grew up and her beauty became impossible to ignore , the chief grew protective and wouldn't let her near any outsiders . In that kind of isolation , how could she possibly have clashed with some distant noblewoman ? Unless Athina had the wrong person . " Isis , " Lorrayne whispered to herself . It rang a faint bell . She wondered , ' Where have I come across it before ? ' After thinking about it for what felt like forever without getting anywhere , Lorrayne finally gave up , blew out the brass lamp , hopped into bed , tugged the covers over herself , and called it a night . It had been a grueling day , so she was out cold the second her head hit the pillow - her sleep was incredibly deep and refreshing . Not a single dream all night . When the bell rang , the girls ' dorm sprang to life in a whirlwind of noise . Doors knocking , feet thumping , all kinds of bangs and clatters - it started at the break of dawn and didn't let up . Lorrayne stirred awake amid the chaos , hit with that weird , disorienting fog where she couldn't tell what day or era it even was . It took her a solid minute to snap out of it and recall : this was her seventh day at school , with swordsmanship class on the schedule that morning . That was the real drawback of Syrria Academy of Arcana - yeah , the half - day setup was chill , but outside of that one brutal winter month , it was still one class every single day . No sleeping in allowed ; God only knew how much she struggled to haul herself out of bed each morning . Since she'd overslept , Lorrayne skipped brushing her teeth altogether . A quick splash of water on her face , and she dashed off to the square - that was where swordsmanship was taught , smack in the middle of the academy plaza . For their first sword class , the school issued wooden practice swords . A whack from one might smart for a moment , but it wouldn't cause any real harm The teacher was a coach from Cumberland - his full name ? He never mentioned it , and none of the students dared to ask . After demonstrating some basic techniques , he paired everyone up for sparring . Lonrayne got matched with a cherub - faced girl named Amy , whose family owned a farm - they were among the better - off Lowborns . Still , with the class packed with Highborns , Amy faced the same snobbery as the other Lowborns . " Ms. Lorrayne , you're really a kind soul " After a bit of practice , Amy dished out the sincere praise . 2/3 P Chapter 26 " Thanks - I appreciate it ." Lorrayne took the compliment in stride . She'd been hearing variations of that a ton lately , so it didn't faze her one bit . " Amy , raise your sword hand just a tad higher - that's the standard grip . " D 35 vouchers . Lorrayne patiently tweaked Amy's form . She'd been deliberately building bridges with the Lowborns in class , and in just a week , it was already paying dividends . They were still cautious around the Highborns in general , but now they'd wave or say hi to her unprompted . Come noon , Lorrayne ditched the cafeteria and opted to eat out - the square was right by the gates , making it an easy choice . Troy was lingering outside and headed her way the moment he saw her . " How're those people holding up ? " " I swung by this morning - the two Knights are conscious now . " Lorrayne nodded . " Good to hear . Once they're awake , they've got at least a fighting chance of making it . " When you thought about it , folks in this era had it brutal . Catch an illness or get hurt ? You wouldn't dream of seeing a doctor ; better to just grit your teeth and ride it out solo . Not that she'd blame them - if it were her , she'd probably steer clear too . The " medicine " here was straight - up nightmarish . Fall sick , and it was basically a death sentence . Consulting a healer ? That just hurried things along . Medieval Eldoria - style medicine was laughably primitive . They assumed illness meant you were demon - possessed , so forget actual care -you wouldn't receive it . And if they did intervene ? Pure torture : they'd drain your blood until you croaked , induce vomiting till you keeled over , or resort to enemas that flushed you out fatally - or just poison you outright . The cruelest bit was the chopping cure : pain in a spot ? Lop it off . Aching hand ? Amputate . Sore foot ? Bye - bye . Headache ? Hammer a nail into your skull . Tough labor ? Flog the pregnant woman , spiking the death rate from 10 % to a flat 100 % . Survive ? Praise your good luck . Die ? Well , you were a lost cause person anyway . It was pitch - black levels of bleak . Yesterday , when Lilian suggested finding a quiet place to recover first , Lorrayne had immediately clocked her worries . If she'd hauled those two critically injured Knights straight to the academy , the staff would've jumped to summon doctors - and if the * cure " killed them , the devoted Knights would be dead . No way they'd find peace . This world's healing practices were ripped right from medieval Eldoria . If Lorrayne had a cutthroat streak , she could rake in a fortune posing as a doctor - uh , con folks , wait no , make an honest living . She'd learned Astrology , after all , and back then , physicians who synced bloodlettings with the stars were all the rage - prime real estate in the respect department . But at the thought of those countless victims who'd been bled dry , Lorrayne shivered . She thought , Yeah , no way . Even pondering it feels like tempting fate with bad karma . ' Title: ReelTalk EP 40 - Contract Lovers & Heartbreak CrushReel's ongoing romance series, Miss You After Goodbye, continues to captivate on the latest ReelTalk episode. Haley Lohrli dives into her daring new character, while Ben and Josh share insights into their own memorable roles, promising a blend of laughter and heartwarming moments. Exploring themes of love, loss, and unexpected connections, this episode delves deep into the intricate relationships that drive the narrative forward. As the stars reveal their on-screen chemistry and off-screen camaraderie, viewers are in for a treat with each unfolding scene. What sets this episode apart is its ability to balance humor with poignant storytelling, offering a refreshing take on modern romance dynamics. Dive into the world of Contract Lovers & Heartbreak, available to read at CrushReel for a journey that promises both entertainment and emotional resonance.