The Queen Who Fights Back (by Lily Hastings) novel Chapter 165

Chapter 165

Yellowcat answered Nova, sounding almost innocent.

It was like she’d just caught a weasel and was already thinking about drowning it–just another normal day, nothing out of the ordinary.

This was simply how the two of them always talked on the battlefield–calm and casual, no matter what was going on around them.

Nova didn’t think there was anything off about it.

With her makeup still half–done, Lillian rushed over, but her steps faltered–she couldn’t help hesitating as she approached.

“Y–you… you….” Lillian stammered, so shocked she literally lost her voice.

She was basically frozen in shock, just like Yvonne.

The crowd of students watching couldn’t help but gawk at the scene unfolding–and after hearing Nova and Yellowcat’s casual banter, they were floored.

The shock only got worse.

What the hell does “Don’t kill anyone” even mean?‘ one of them thought.

‘And did she just say “only broke her arm–else I’d have snapped her neck“?‘ Another’s jaw dropped.

Honestly, listening to those two, it sounded like people’s lives were nothing more than an afterthought to them.

It was almost like…

They’d just walked out of some hellhole where nobody gave a damn whether you lived or died.

Most of the students at Suntry Academy were on the ops team.

They were used to dealing with weapons and had gone through enough training that their physical stats left normal folks in the dust.

They’d pick up missions from the mission chamber now and then.

But honestly, most of those jobs were so safe that nobody’s life was ever really at risk.

Treating someone’s life like it was just a joke—like Nova and Yellowcat did—was simply unheard of.

This kind of thing was next–level shocking; none of these college students had ever even imagined witnessing something so wild.

Honestly, it seemed like only those two seniors who practically lived in the mission chamber–the ones who broke a fifty- year record at Suntry Academy and both racked up ten thousand stars–would dare to pull off something so insane.

“It’s my friend’s first day here. She’s not really familiar with the whole school etiquette thing yet,” Nova said, her voice perfectly calm and nonchalant.

She turned to Lillian and Yvonne, who were still stunned speechless, and simply explained.

It was just like when she’d first left the underground world and started at Saint Laurel Royal Academy.

Back then, she had absolutely zero idea about any of the school rules.

“First day at school?

“Wait, people still have a ‘first day at school‘ in this day and age?”

Lillian was left speechless all over again.

She took a moment to collect herself, then rubbed her forehead and grumbled,

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d swear you two just walked straight out of some post–apocalyptic battlefield.

“One second you’re waging war, the next you’re playing the clueless newbie.”

It turns out, she accidentally nailed it.

That girl… Yvonne’s gaze snapped at the one whose arm Yellowcat just fractured.

She frowned hard, an anxious look crossing her face.

“That’s Vivian. You guys are in way bigger trouble than you think…”

As soon as she heard the name Vivian, Lillian was chilled to the bone.

“How could it be Vivian? Seriously, our luck couldn’t get any worse,” Lillian froze, surprised with disbelief all over.

Nova shot a sideways glance at the girl whose arm Yellowcat just busted up, now rolling on the ground and screaming her head off.

She hadn’t even gotten a word out when Lillian grabbed her, her grip shaky with nerves.

On the other side, Yvonne snagged Yellowcat and hauled her off, basically dragging both Nova and Yellowcat along at top speed.

Nova and Yellowcat just let themselves be pulled along, making it easy for Lillian and Yvonne to hustle them out of there.

They didn’t stop running until they’d put a good distance between themselves and the scene.

Finally, Lillian, panting, explained to Nova and Yellowcat.

“Th–that’s Vivian… You messed with Vivian… You’re totally screwed!

“You guys better run. Seriously…”

She was so out of breath from running that she could barely get the words out.

But she still clung to Nova with a tight grip, showing all her panic.

Yvonne, compared to Lillian, was much calmer and collected.

She turned to Nova and Yellowcat and said,

“Vivian isn’t that tough herself, but it doesn’t matter–she’s got her older sister to back her up.

“Her sister is Mavis Taylor.

“She’s the senior I mentioned before–the one who basically lives in the mission chamber and already earned ten thousand star points!”

“At Suntry Academy, her sister is pretty much top dog.”

Chapter 165

Yvonne flashed a thumbs–up, basically signaling that Mavis Taylor is a total big shot around here.

“So you messed with her little sister? You guys are in some serious trouble now!” Lillian gulped, her worry written all over

her face.

“Oh?” Nova’s lips curled in a half–smirk, a spark of anticipation glinting in her eyes.

Honestly, she actually looked a little excited now.

She folded her arms, lounging lazily against the wall like she couldn’t care less, and said,

“And?”

Yellowcat rubbed her hands together, grinning with anticipation. “So, they’re gonna come for me? Bring it on–I’m always up for a fight!”

The way Nova and Yellowcat acted like it was no big deal totally freaked Lillian and Yvonne out again.

“Seriously, quit talking like that! You guys have no clue just how powerful our top seniors really are!

“Even the headmaster himself went on record saying…

“He said that if Mavis and Eric team up, they’d be absolute legends–the kind Suntry Academy sees maybe once every fifty years. The whole future of our school is practically riding on them!

“Whatever tricks you two have up your sleeves? Honestly, they’d barely even register compared to those two…”

Lillian said, her voice shaking with worry.

Yvonne added, “Plus, Mavis and Eric are always working together–where you find one, the other’s right there with them.

“So if you cross one, you’re really taking on both at once.”

Lillian and Yvonne were freaking out, their faces full of worry.

After finishing, the two glanced over at Nova and Yellowcat.

And right away, they realized Nova and Yellowcat didn’t give a damn about anything they’d just said.

Especially Nova.

She headed down the concrete road, cool as ever, acting like all this drama had absolutely nothing to do with her.

“Meh.”

Yellowcat yawned, clearly bored out of her mind.

“Nova, I passed my entrance exam, but my dorm’s kinda far from yours.”

“So, where to next?”

“How about we swing by their mission chamber and check it out?” Nova replied.

As she spoke, she turned to look at Lillian and Yvonne.

With a casual twist of her athletic body, she tilted her head up and threw them a quick wink, her smile practically dripping with playful mischief.

That sly, devil–may–care grin had Lillian and Yvonne both staring, totally entranced.

‘Whoa… she’s seriously too stunning… both of them thought at the same time, completely caught up in her allure.

“Hey, you guys got some free time now?” Nova tossed out, her voice light and totally chill.

“Uh–yeah, we’ve got time… So, what are we doing?” Lillian blurted out, still totally spellbound by Nova’s charming wink.

“Since we just rolled in, I think you two could give us a quick tour of the mission chamber?” Nova asked, flashing a teasing

grin.

The mission chamber, along with the intel chamber, command chamber, and admin chamber, was all housed in a massive, stadium–sized building on the Suntry Academic campus.

The whole place was just one big open floor.

The vibe inside totally reminded Nova of that mercenary guild she’d checked out before.

As soon as they stepped inside, they spotted a bunch of bulletin boards lined up along the left wall, covered in all sorts of flashy, colorful flyers–each one advertising a different mission.

Every single flyer was a mission posting, just waiting for someone to take it on.

Nova took a quick look around and realized that the mission chamber at Suntry Academy used the same ranking system for difficulty as the international underground world.

In the international underground, missions get ranked by difficulty.

From the toughest to the easiest, they’re split into six levels:

SSS–rank, SS–rank, S–rank, A–rank, B–rank, and C–rank.

That makes six levels in total.

This ranking system is used everywhere, no difference at all.

But most of the missions Suntry Academy students took on were either C–rank or B–rank–the lowest of the low.

For Nova and Yellowcat, those were the kind of missions they could clear with one hand tied behind their backs.

After making the rounds at the bulletin boards, Nova found there was only one single SSS–rank mission posted in the whole place.

And not a single soul here was even thinking about taking it–SSS–rank missions might as well have been invisible around these parts.

“Nova, don’t even bother checking out those SSS–rank missions—they’re just way out of our league,” Lillian said, her voice

uneasy.

“Even Mavis and Eric only stick to SS–rank stuff. They’ve never once taken on anything SSS–rank.”

“Let’s not kid ourselves.”

Lillian murmured quietly from the side.

“Whoa! It’s Mavis!”

“And Eric too!”

“I heard Mavis and Eric both hit over ten thousand stars recently! They’re actually gearing up to take on an SSS–rank

mission!”

“No way! Seriously? An SSS–rank mission? I mean, nobody at our school has ever even dared to try one of those!”

At that moment, the students around Nova suddenly started buzzing with excitement, all eyes glued to the gates.

As the crowd cheered and gasped, in walked a girl so pure and graceful, she was like a white lotus blooming high on a snowy mountaintop–completely untouched by all the mess around her.

She was about 5 feet 7 inches and super slim, with that slightly aloof, goddess–like vibe–her looks weren’t in–your–face beautiful, but she had this cool, soft charm that made her stand out in any crowd.

This was Mavis Taylor.

She was the senior everyone at Suntry Academy raved about–the legend who smashed records with Star Points well over ten thousand.

Standing right next to Mavis was a guy who was a total knockout in his own right.

Towering at 6 feet, with bold brows and sharp features, he just radiated reliable energy–the kind of guy you’d instantly trust to have your back.

This was Eric Smith.

At Suntry Academy, Mavis and Eric were like true comrades–in–arms–always side by side, always watching each other’s backs.

They teamed up on every mission, their coordination flawless, like two minds working as one.

“Mavis–it’s them! It’s that chick who busted my hand!” Vivian Taylor yelled, her voice shaking with pain and indignation, eyes blazing as she jabbed her good hand at Nova and Yellowcat.

Meanwhile, her injured arm was awkwardly wrapped up in bandages, stiff and barely moving as she held it at her side.

Unlike her little sister Vivian, who’s always looking for trouble, Mavis was the complete opposite–an aloof goddess with an air of quiet grace.

Still, despite her usual reserve, Mavis didn’t hesitate to show up for her mischievous sister; she and Eric made their way over to Nova and Yellowcat together.

Mavis finally spoke, her voice as calm and elegant as ever, barely betraying a hint of emotion.

“Were you the ones bullying my little sister?” Her words floated out, cold and untouchable, like she was too high above to bother raising her voice.

Even while she asked, her tone stayed perfectly poised–cool, distant, and laced with that effortless dignity that made it feel like she was judging them from a mountain peak.

With Mavis and Eric–the two record–breaking legends of Suntry Academy–staring them down, the air was electric with

tension.

The crowd of students was absolutely petrified, too terrified to even move or make a sound.

Nova, on the other hand, just folded her arms, shot a lazy glance at Vivian’s busted arm, and drawled,

“You mean that wrecked arm?

“Yeah, my friend broke it.”

She answered for Yellowcat without even blinking.

“So, I wasn’t mistaken about you two.

“Since you did something wrong, apologize to my sister,” Mavis said, her tone calm and distant.

She totally wasn’t the type to lower herself or do anything that might mess with her super dignified, aloof vibe in front of

everyone.

So, Mavis clearly wasn’t looking to throw down with Nova or Yellowcat–she was way above settling things with a fight.

Seeing that Nova and Yellowcat had absolutely no plans to apologize, Mavis frowned in annoyance.

She spoke up again, her voice noticeably colder.

“I don’t like fighting with my classmates, but if you two refuse to apologize, then we can settle this another way.

“Eric and I are planning to take on an SSS–rank mission in a couple days–to challenge ourselves and push our limits.

“If you two refuse to apologize, then let’s settle it the other way: we’ll all accept the same SSS–rank mission and see which squad completes it first. Let our strength decide the winner.”